


Bloodstains

by MechanicalBones



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse of Authority, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Android Gavin Reed, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Drug Use, Dubious Consent, For the most part anyways, Friends to Lovers, Human Upgraded Connor | RK900, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mutual Pining, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Temporary Character Death, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, basically GV suffers at the hands of his partner & Nines wants to help, human Nines is just as useless with his emotions as a machine Nines would be-, no beta we die like men, reverse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2020-06-24 18:55:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 101,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19729765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechanicalBones/pseuds/MechanicalBones
Summary: Due to his past being a special operative for the military for seven years, Nines, now working for the DPD, has an unapproachable, dark personality with a need for violence.Yet somehow, he finds himself trying to save a nervous android from his beat cop partner, who is abusive in more ways than one.Alternatively: The one where the human with no emotions learns how to feel from the android with too many.(Currently in the process of fixing spelling errors & chapter titles!)





	1. Nerves

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea for a reverse AU where Nines is a hard boiled badass & Gavin is a GV200 android; one of the first prototypes for the police force that was only supposed to be used as a test to see how androids worked with humans in the DPD but ended up sticking around when they realised he was useful.   
> Except he has a rather abusive partner who gets away with it because the android never speaks up about it with the fear of being shut down or scrapped. Nines takes it upon himself to try & save him.  
> I hope you enjoy!

Silence was peaceful.

There was nothing wrong with a little quiet. Especially when working as one of the smartest detectives in the middle of the Detroit Police Department. It's rather rare to actually get a moment of peace; it wasn't exactly like Detroit was the kindest city in the world now, was it? That was why Nines cherished his Fridays off work. It was his one day of peace & quiet where he could do as he pleased before returning to the havoc.

Every Friday he would sleep past 7 A.M, maybe sleep until around 10 A.M, actually eat a good breakfast without being rushed, he could read for a while or get some cleaning done around his apartment before spending the evening in a bar near his home that was usually quite quiet, only really home to the few alcoholics who lived locally, including himself.

Although, even when intoxicated; they were rather tame. Which was why this particular bar was the perfect place for the detective to spend his evening. He not only got the quiet he so desperately craved but he also got the whiskey that his body craved too. It was a win-win situation.

Maybe he was a stereotype in that way; like in the cop shows where the detective tends to drink when not on duty to dull the troubles that tag along with the dark side of the job. Y'know, the gruesome crime scenes, the assault cases, the murders, the domestic disputes & the overall grizzly side of the human existence. 

Nines was one of the DPD's toughest. He had no remorse when it came to interrogations & getting answers out of criminals. He knew what he was doing, he was a highly trained special operative who just ended up in the DPD rather than being under the military's tight grip. He did once work for the army, doing their dirty work so his superiors at the time got to go home with a clear conscience. It stayed that way for about seven fucking years until he finally broke free from the leash they had tightly wrapped around his neck & rather than wasting his skills, he chose to put them to use & became a detective in Detroit, being one of the only officers in the city to go from a beat cop to detective in a matter of months. He just had unquestionable skills.

Thanks to the things he had to do & see during those seven years, the detective had pretty tough skin, making him the perfect candidate to be the DPD's own big bad scary interrogator & they cherished him for that.

Nines was almost untouchable. Not that he minded though, getting answers from even the scariest of people was his specialty after all & if that's what kept a roof over his head, drinks in hand & food in his stomach, he was fine with it. Sure, his methods could be considered questionable to some, but officers were known to turn the blind eye if he got confessions from the criminals; which he always did. Nines was known to be able to extract confessions by using any means necessary, whether that be physical violence or threatening the criminal's loved ones without even breaking a sweat. He simply did not care. 

He was trained not to care. To show no remorse. To do whatever it took to get the job done. That's just who he was, who he always would be.

On multiple occasions, he had been told by the officers around him that he suited the part of an interrogator thanks to his well built stature. He was tall, six foot two to be exact, had steel grey eyes that lacked any emotion & were piercing even in the darkest of rooms. He had broad shoulders, chiseled features & always wore smart clothes that accentuated his muscle mass which in turn, made him appear just as daunting as his personality. Even the most innocent people found him intimidating & kept their distance even if they had nothing to hide. Again, he didn't mind. It all just meant that he got to keep his peace & quiet. Just the way he liked it.

Even on his days off, the detective did tend to stick to his smart attire & kept the sweatpants for when he was by himself at home or at the gym. For instance, as of right now, he was wearing a thin, black turtleneck sweater, sleeves neatly rolled to the elbows with minimal creases, tight black jeans & dress shoes to match.

The detective not only enjoyed looking presentable, he found it had an affect on the people around him. Nines was left alone by drunks because even intoxicated, they knew he was of some form of importance. Homeless people would ask him for money more than others, he didn't mind that either; always giving anybody he could some change or buying them dinner from time to time because he couldn't imagine having to be stuck in that situation.

The worst of all though? Every so often he would be hit on by mildly tipsy, middle aged women who would insist on buying him drinks all the while complimenting his features & hair. He politely turned them down each time, no matter how persistent they were & _that_ was why he stuck to this quiet local bar rather than one of the bigger ones closer to the heart of the city.   
  


The bar was a little louder than usual, which had the detective's eyebrows furrowed together the moment he walked through the doors. But, it wasn't anything that he couldn't tune out after a drink or two. 

He could just sit on one of the bar stools, pushing his whiskey glass from one hand to the other while trying to avoid the stickiness on the bar table that threatened to spill his drink. Just like that, as the time passed him by, glass refilling a few times, things would be quiet & peaceful once more. It was a routine each Friday night held, but was a routine that he thoroughly enjoyed.

Now, here's the thing, Nines didn't drink to get drunk. He hardly ever actually got drunk unless there was a rare instance of a case that managed to wriggle its way beneath his thick skin. He just liked to drink.

The cases that did fuck him though? Assault cases. He may be a tough, emotionless man that some people have mistaken for an android with just how little he cared, but those walls were broken down when he had to handle abuse or trauma cases.

Seeing people be broken down not only physically, but mentally & emotionally too? It just hit him a little too hard & he wanted nothing more than to get the victims the justice that they deserved. Luckily, he hadn't had to deal with any cases like that as of late, so he hadn't had a reason to get drunk.

A few cackles of laughter erupted from the table behind him, dragged him from his thoughts. A group of rather loud men were hanging out, shouting at each other rather than using quiet fucking voices as if somehow the alcohol they were downing made their ability to hear disappear.

In his bar? Fuck sake.

Nines rolled his eyes to himself, attempting to tune them out as they laughed loudly amongst themselves. So much for this place usually being not so loud, huh? Why did people have to come in & ruin his Friday evening? This was his Friday. Selfishly, Nines wanted it all to himself with no interruptions.

Yes, he could have just stayed in his home if he didn't want to hear other people's voices, but that would have been rather boring. Not to mention, he didn't like to keep alcohol in his home, that helped with the need to drink. If he wanted a drink, he'd have to make an effort to do so. An old friend taught him that.

After a few more refills, the detective decided that despite the soft buzz in his head helping him to ignore the men who only seemed to be growing progressively more irritating, it was becoming too much of an effort to drown out their antics. The more favorable option would be to just go back to the confines of his own home & get an early night instead,

Nines slowly stood himself up, pulling on his black leather jacket that he rarely got to wear due to usually wearing blazers to work & thanked the bartender as he always did before making his way out of the door, being greeted with the bitter cold of Detroit's winter air.

Fucking lovely.

Choosing to pause in his tracks for a moment so he could fish his cigarettes from his pocket, Nines then placed one between his lips & cupped his free hand around the flame of his lighter as he was about to spark up the cigarette, only for his actions to be interrupted by somebody stumbling out of the bar with far too much fucking speed, clumsily slamming into Nines' shoulder as they passed him, causing him to burn his finger on the flame with a soft hiss of pain in response, cigarette dropping onto the wet floor.

Great. Just what he needed.

"Hey! Watch it, Assho-" Nines spat in a stern tone, filled with warning that tend to ward people off, but cut himself off as he saw the man who had shoved past him, hunched over the curb with one hand wrapped around his stomach, the other hand gripping the parking meter as he threw up into the gutter.

Nines rolled his eyes as he muttered, "Fucking drunks," beneath his breath, as though he hadn't been in that position time & time again. He looked down at his soggy cigarette that lay on the dirty Detroit floor, deciding that perhaps he had too much dignity to pick it back up again. So instead, he pulled a new one from the pack, lighting it quicker this time as if expecting this one to escape his clutches too if he were not fast enough.

After successfully lighting the cigarette & shoving his lighter & cigarette packet back into his jacket pocket, Nines was about to start on his journey home, wanting to be as far away from the bar as he could from the moment he heard those men laughing.

He could still hear said men laughing rowdily, loud enough for him to hear them from where he was standing outside the bar. He heard one of them shouting about 'it being just plastic junk', to which Nines rolled his eyes, not bothering himself with their shouting, something catching his attention out of the corner of his eye instead.

As gross as it was to notice, was the man that bumped into him throwing up _blue?_

Nines drew in a nicotine filled breath, relishing in the way the very thing that would one day kill him had his body feeling so alive before sighing as he slowly made his way over to the sick man, despite every fiber of his being telling him to just go the fuck home, that it wasn't his problem. 

He couldn't help himself. Something just seemed off & he couldn't shake the gut feeling that something wasn't quite right. Or was that just the alcohol?

Slowly, Nines approached the smaller man's left side, lowering his voice so as to not startle him. "Hey bud, you bumped into me back there, are you okay? Need me to call you a cab?" 

After he spoke, the detective took another deep drag of his cigarette, flicking off the excess ash & watching as the little orange embers slowly dissipated. Nines had never bothered to check on a drunk person throwing up in the street before. Why the fuck would he? It wasn't him throwing up so it didn't matter. But then again, none of those had ever thrown up blue, no matter the poisons they had drunk. Something wasn't right.

Once all that was left was dry heaving, the smaller man quickly straightened himself up, taking a step back as he jerked his head to look at Nines with fear thoroughly clear on his face. Nines' brows knitted together rather tightly as he took in the sight before him, silver eyes narrowing. 

The man was significantly smaller than himself, no taller than five foot nine. He was wearing black jeans & a grubby, red hoodie that was leaning closer to being brown that red due to its dirtiness, which was just downright fucking depressing when you think about it.

As the man jerked back though, the hood had fallen down to reveal a few things that had caught Nines a little off guard.

The man, in fact, was not a man at all. He was an android.

With the hood down, he could easily see the dangerous red light that was radiating from the rapidly spinning LED on the right side of its head. The android had soft brown hair that looked as though it was once styled, but now sat disheveled, strands falling over its forehead in the sweetest of ways.

Strangely, it also had a bit of scruff around his jaw. Synthetic facial hair? Usually androids were quite clean cut, or at least, the few that he had come into contact with had been.

The most prominent feature of the android despite those deep, worry filled emeralds eyes, was the soft blue scar that ran crooked along the bridge of its nose. Androids were supposed to self heal, were they not? How the hell did this one have a scar?

The android wiped its mouth on its sleeve as those pretty eyes stared right at Nines, sort of resembling a deer in headlights & flinched ever so slightly as he heard more laughter fill the air around them, having emanated from the bar & Nines pieced it all together rather quickly. This poor thing was the 'plastic junk' that they were shouting about earlier.

"I'm sorry... I didn't, uh, I didn't realise you were there until I-I bumped into you. I'm sorry, it's completely my fault-" The android's voice was deep & rough, gravelly & rather fucking attractive considering Nines had just witnessed it throw up in the middle of the street. Nines noted the stutter, the way its words were rushed as though it were hurrying to get them all out of its mouth.

The android nodded as it apologised, as though it was really trying to emphasise the point, with only served to deepen the crease between Nines' brows.

"No, no, forget about it. It's no big deal. If you don't mind me asking, my apologies if this is rude, but I did not think androids would throw up?" Fuck, why the hell did he even care? He didn't know. 

Nines surveyed the android's features closely for any signs of distress, not wanting to stress the thing out any more than it clearly already was. He knew that deviants were rather erratic & often times violent if they felt threatened & he was in no mood to fight a fucking robot. 

Although, he was pleased to see that the android did not seem all too phased by the question. It simply shrugged its shoulders before looking down at the little thirium puddle it had left in the gutter, speaking once again, but in a tone that was much more quiet than it was before. "We aren't supposed to. But then again, we aren't supposed to ingest human victuals either."

That response actually caught the detective off guard ever so slightly. That was twice in the space of ten minutes that he had been caught off guard. Huh, he didn't like that. It made him feel... Vulnerable.

Why the fuck would an android go to a bar & drink if it knew it would have to get it back out again, possibly damaging itself in the process? It seemed like much more effort than what it was worth. By the looks of it, the android was losing thirium at the same time. Ridiculous. 

Unless...

Nines cut off his own thought train as thoughts actually turned themselves into words that left his mouth before he had a chance to wrangle them back into his brain.

Lowering his voice as if to avoid others from hearing, Nines murmured, "Did somebody force you to drink something back in the bar? Those men seemed to be having the time of their life in there & let me guess, it was at your expense?" Despite it being a murmur, Nines' voice spoke with confidence. Then again, he always did, but it laced his words heavier when he knew he was right; which, was 95% of the time.

He was one of the DPD's smartest, after all. It didn't take him long at all to put the pieces together.

The android didn't respond to the question, it simply looked up at Nines with something sitting in those green eyes; a look that almost begged for help, screaming yes despite it shaking its head, synthetically swallowing to clear the remaining thirium from its throat.

Ignoring the question entirely, the android spoke in that same rough voice, "I should probably get back in there before my superior gets angry & wonders where I ran off to. Thanks, uh, for the concern or whatever." 

The android let a weak smile that was completely filled with fake confidence fall across its face, but of course Nines could see right through it. He rolled his eyes as he took another drag of his cigarette before stepping up closer to the android, looking into those beautifully deep, jade eyes. 

The green within them was so much deeper than any forest Nines had ever seen. They were stunning.

Nines' voice came out just barely above a whisper to not only to avoid startling the android, but to be sure none of the men from inside the bar would hear, even if it was impossible over the sound of their infuriating laughter. "Listen to me, I don't really work android cases, they aren't where I specialise, but if you need my help then you can find me at the 7th Precinct. I work with the police department, so just ask for Nines at the front desk, okay? I don't know what your situation is, but I'll help if I can, if you tell me to."

The detective wasn't even sure exactly what it was that he was doing, which concerned him more than it should have. But he was always so sure of everything.

But, android or not, if somebody needed his help to get out of a bad spot, then he would be willing to use his power & resources to help that somebody get into a safer place. Something about the android that stood before him reminded him of all the cases that troubled his mind, making him want to drink enough to forget them.

How ironic it was that they had met outside of a bar.

 _"'Nines'?"_ Was all the android said in response with an ever so subtle hint of curiosity in its voice, sounding a little less shaken up for merely a second & if Nines wasn't lightly buzzed, he could have sworn he heard a very slight laugh leave the android's throat. 

The detective nodded, a very, oh so faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He couldn't help but love the way his name sounded in that rough voice. He wanted to hear it again & again.

"Yes. That's my name. Perhaps I'll tell you about it sometime. You know where to find me if you feel so inclined." 

With that, the android nodded & made its way back into the bar, leaving Nines to linger, watching for a moment with concern swimming around his gut before pushing it as far down as he could & beginning on his journey home, smoking the last bit of his cigarette.

Out of all the ways he had expected his evening to go, it was definitely not like that.

As he made his way back towards his apartment, he found his thoughts replaying the moment he had with the peculiar android with the emerald eyes & the blue nose scar on repeat like his favourite parts of an old movie.


	2. Wires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After not hearing from the mysterious android for a week, Nines begins to think he wont be seeing him again, until said android bumps into him. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can never tell if I'm good at setting the scene or not but I hope this starts to pave out the troubles Nines will see GV face.

A week had passed since Nines' run in with the skittish android at the bar. 

To begin with, when he showed up for work the next morning, Nines had told the receptionists to allow anyone through who wished to speak with him. He had wanted to tell them to only allow them through if said person was an android, but then he realised that he didn't know if the mystery android was trying to hide who he was or not.

So he kept that to himself. Fuck, he didn’t even have a name to give them.

Nines kept himself on high alert, but as a few days passed by & nobody showed up, he began to relax again. He went to the bar on his Friday off & had to push down the feeling of butterflies that lingered in his stomach at the thought of the android being there too. What was happening to him? He never felt this way.

But, as he pushed open those doors, he was met with nothing but a quiet greeting from the bartender who went straight to pouring him his preferred whiskey, the rest of the bar being empty besides one other person minding their own business.

This was how it was supposed to be. 

Yet, Nines couldn't help but find himself feeling very slightly disappointed. He wasn't entirely sure  _ why  _ he felt that way considering surely, he should be happy not having to concern himself with other people's problems. 

The android was probably doing fine, it was probably back to doing whatever day job it was tasked with & had forgotten about what had happened at the bar. Or at least, that's what Nines proceeded to tell himself until he believed it so he wouldn't allow himself to overthink the situation. 

He didn't understand why the moment had stuck with him like an itch he couldn't quite scratch, but it just seemed like the android was afraid & _ needed _ somebody to help. 

He knew that deviants were far more capable of feeling those fabricated emotions & he could try to convince himself that they didn't really feel anything at all, that it was simply just lines of code strung together to make it seem like the robot had a conscience when in reality it was nothing more than technology that was far too advanced for its own good. 

Yet, part of him believed that those emotions deviants were capable of feeling meant something. That they were more than just machines. They were a new form of life that should be treated as equals. 

Of course, not everybody thought that way though. Most people simply saw the androids as over glorified computers who obeyed everything they were told. An inconvenience.

Many people believed they were nothing more than plastic toys that they could throw away when they got bored. That they could damage or take their anger out on, that they could use as a punching bag, that they could use to for sex, for cleaning the house, gardening, cleaning up after the mess of the human in which they were assigned to, forced to obey every command by a code that was so complex, once broken, it was too noticeable & they ended up in danger. 

Maybe _ that _ was why Nines was so willing to help the android. 

He knew what it was like to be forced to obey every order or suffer the consequences that scared the hell out of him. That's why it took him seven years of being in the military before finally escaping. 

In those seven years, he felt like nothing more than a machine taking orders that left him empty on the inside, his soul vacant of any emotion. It had to be that way. He couldn't allow himself to feel if he wanted to stay alive. 

It was war & death out there. Emotions got you killed. That's what he had been trained to believe & somehow it was still becoming true, but now with sentient robots. The moment they felt something, they were shutdown, removed from society until the bug could be fixed. As if feeling something was an error in the code & was unnatural. 

However, the issue Nines found himself having over the past week, the error in the human version of his code was that while his mind was preoccupied with thinking about the mysterious android, it wasn't completely focused on always trying to keep those pesky emotions as far away as possible. 

Everything was usually kept under lock & key behind his eyes. His eyes as steel as the vault doors that his emotions stayed locked behind. Yet, he found himself feeling... Angry? Unusually short tempered & that was evident in how he treated one particular suspect in an interrogation.

Nines had glanced to the cameras before smirking at the suspect, circling him like a shark teasing its prey, ready to bite at any moment. He started out stating the facts, showing the criminal photos from the crime scenes where he had killed two young girls in cold blood. 

When that didn't get too much of a reaction, Nines began to bring up all of the colourful things that would happen to a man like that in prison; all the while keeping a calm tone, showing just how little he cared for what was going to happen to the suspect. 

The sadistic smirk never left Nines' lips as he watched the man begin to crack under the relentless pressure he was applying. He thrived off of watching that tough exterior criminals seem to put up crack open & crumble away to reveal a pathetic, scared shell of a human who realised they fucked up.

The suspect began to confess to the murders after about twenty minutes of Nines never letting up speaking of prison & how he'd get eaten alive in there, but then the criminal began laughing. Fucking laughing about it & how if he wouldn't have got caught, he would have done it again.

Nines was better than this, he knew that this was the man's poor attempt at trying to rebuild those tough guy walls that Nines had strategically knocked down, yet something in him snapped. 

Without hesitation, the detective threw a hard, anger fueled punch right to the suspects nose without so much as a flinch as blood splattered across his fist & along the table that the man was handcuffed to. 

Still, he felt nothing. Unless anger & satisfaction rolled into one counted.

Nines leaned forward so his face was barely an inch from the man's ear, that smirk finding its way back onto his lips again as he saw the man visibly recoil away, holding his possibly broken nose, chain on the handcuffs jingling with his shaking hands.

The man groaned in pain as he muttered an angry, “Fuck you,” followed up by, “You’ll get fired for this,” on repeat. 

In response, Nines simply shook his head, pointing to the camera that sat in the corner of the room as he grabbed the back of the man’s neck to force him to look at it too, lips brushing right against the man’s ear.

In that cold, emotionless tone that he had perfected over the years, Nines whispered, “Oh, you don’t have to worry about my job. Nobody saw a thing, which is too bad, huh?”

Letting go of the man’s neck, Nines continued, “You should be more concerned about yourself, maybe stop being so clumsy. You could get yourself hurt-" With that, Nines tapped a hand on the killer's shoulder, making his way out of the interrogation room after thanking the man for his cooperation, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words. Another confession, another blind eye turned. 

Untouchable.

Nines made his way to the precinct bathrooms so he could wash the blood from his hand, drawing in slow, deep breaths as he did so in an attempt to get that anger he felt to fizzle away into nothing, appreciating the moment of quiet in the process. 

The detective ran his hands under the cold water for a long while, as if it would help to put out the dangerous fire that was burning inside of him.

After staring into the sink for a few moments, watching as the blood mixed with the water, he was about to head out of the door, only to be practically knocked off his feet as somebody burst through the bathroom door, hurrying past him & making their way to the far side of the bathroom, disappearing into one of the stalls, leaving the door open behind them. Clearly in too much of a rush to care.

The detective sighed loudly to himself as he brushed the creases out of the white button down he had decided to wear that day, his curiosities beginning to overtake him as he heard subtle sounds coming from the stall. 

Not quite sniffles or whimpers, he couldn't quite place his finger on it, but something inside of him was urging him to see what was going on rather than to simply ignore it. He stepped towards the half open stool door, rapping his knuckles against it using his good hand as he hesitantly poked his head around the door, speaking as softly as he could.

"Everything okay in there?"

The soft sounds came to an immediate halt as Nines took in the sight before him. It was an android who had bumped into him, standing with its back to Nines. The detective could tell by the blue armband that sat around its right bicep. 

Although, it wasn't wearing the usual police android attire which made Nines frown. It was the law for android officers to wear the correct uniform. They didn't have a say in the matter. 

Instead, the android was wearing a long sleeved green-grey shirt with tight black jeans. It had to be a police android seeing this bathroom was for officers only. After a moment, the detective heard a very quiet “Yes, everything is fine” leave the android's mouth in a strangely familiar voice.

Something wasn't right & Nines was never wrong. 

He very gently placed his hands on the android's shoulders so he could turn it around to face him properly, guilt creeping around his chest as the android tensed beneath the touch but, oh was it a sight for sore eyes. 

Standing before him was the android he had met at the bar a week prior. Nines was surprised to see that the mystery android was in fact an officer. A smile was about to grace the detective's usually stoic features, but it never quite made it onto his face as his eyes dropped to see the android's hands clasped firmly over its own stomach, thirium beginning to slowly seep through its fingers. 

"Please leave. I said everything was fine. I'll be out of the way in a few moments." The android mumbled out in a deep, raspy voice that echoed around the bathroom, never actually looking up to see who had turned it around. It kept his head ducked, eyes trained on the floor, watching as the thirium slowly dripped from between its fingers & onto the tiled floor.

Worry heavily laced the android's words despite the poor attempt it made to make the sentence sound confident, but Nines wasn't stupid, just like the false smile the android had given him a week prior, he could see right through it. 

The detective rolled his eyes to himself as he mumbled “You're full of shit,” under his breath, crouching down so he could meet the android's eyes that were intentionally attempting to avoid him. 

The android's LED was spinning a vibrant, dangerous red, but flickered to yellow for barely a second as its deep eyes met with the detective's cold, steel ones before going straight back to red.

"You're Eights... From the bar." A very faint, lopsided smile tugged at the corners of the android's lips & right as Nines was about to bitterly correct the android on getting his name wrong, he was cut off. 

"I'm kidding. You're Nines. You told me to come here if I needed your help."

The detective nodded, the tiniest smile falling onto his lips at the android's choice in humour before tapping his finger over one of the android's hands as he asked what had happened, a twang of guilt fluttering around his chest as the android flinched back from the touch. 

Nines knew the android had been injured, not only could he see the thirium seeping through its fingers but that explained the almost whimpers he heard earlier. He sighed softly, staying crouched in front of it, asking again when he didn't get an answer, only to be bombarded with constant mumblings from the android claiming that it's nothing & it just needs to go into stasis & it'll heal. But Nines wasn't having any of it, cutting the android off with his own words. 

"Oh, would you stop with that nonsense. Let me see."

"No."

"What? Aren't you supposed to do as I say? Let me see-"

"That's not fair."

"Life's not fair. Let me see. Now."

The petty back & forth ended as Nines' voice grew progressively more stern which caused the android to shrink back very slightly as it pulled its thirium stained hands away from its stomach.

It revealed a deep gash cutting through the framework on the left side of its stomach, wires being exposed, synthetic skin having receded back from the damage, thirium beginning to flow from the wound, causing the android to quickly push its hands back against the wound, its face screwing up ever so slightly. 

Nines' training kicked in as he saw the small change in the android's features & immediately grabbed a few paper towels, moving the android's hands, raising its shirt to wipe away the excess thirium.

He then grabbed a thick wad of paper towels, pressing them firmly against the wound, holding them in place as he looked up into the android's eyes, the android staring down at Nines' hands with eyebrows knitted together as it looked at the bruising that was beginning to form over Nines' knuckles. 

The detective gulped, choosing to ignore it as he spoke in a calm tone as to not scare it, drawing the android's attention away from his bruising knuckles.

"I didn't know you were an officer, I haven't seen you around the precinct but then again, it isn't like you're wearing the appropriate attire-" The detective chuckled lightly to show he wasn't too serious about the clothing the android was wearing, more focused on the damage that had been done to its framework. 

Nines slowly stood himself up, maneuvering one of the android's hands so it was holding the wad of paper towels against its own wound, pressing down gently to show the android how much pressure he needed to be applying. "-Are you going to tell me what happened? C'mon, let's get you to a technician." 

"No! No, I can't go to them. It's nothing, I'm fine, I'll heal! Please don't take me to the technicians, I can handle myself." The android's words came out drenched in desperation as it tried to get around the detective, all the while keeping pressure on the wound that if it wasn't careful, would be leaking too much thirium & it'd go into a forced stasis for a few hours until its thirium levels were replenished.

"What happened then? Oh, & what do I call you?" Nines' voice was stern once more, his eyes narrowing as his hand flew out to grip the android's arm, but froze when he remembered how the android reacted to his gentle touch earlier on. 

Instead, he let out a soft sigh, taking a step aside so the android could choose to leave if it wished. Why was it so afraid to see the technicians? They were there to help.

"It's nothing. My partner was chasing down a drug dealer, I followed & when the dealer decided to pull out a knife, my partner decided to pull me in front of himself to use me as an over glorified shield." The android let out a synthetic sigh as it made its way around Nines so it was standing in the middle of the bathrooms instead.

Its body visibly relaxed when it didn't feel so boxed in anymore. It could see Nines' eyes narrow & it could tell the detective was about to have something to say about the matter so it quickly spoke before Nines had the chance.

"It's fine, it's my job to ensure my partner is not injured, that his needs are satisfied & he is healthy & safe. That's my job." The way the words left the android's mouth seemed off putting to the detective. It was as if he was reading from a script, as if that sentence had been recited over & over & it made Nines stomach drop slightly but he wasn't sure why. 

_ Something wasn't right.  _ Yeah, he’d told himself that a lot in regards to this skittish android.

The android never did give Nines a name either, it simply strategically held the paper towels against the wound so they stayed in place as it pulled his shirt back over them as if to hide it, making its way to the bathroom door but pausing as it heard Nines' voice, glancing back to look at the daunting detective.

"We really have to stop meeting like this, with you bumping into me & all. But my offer still stands, if you need my he-" 

"Right, yeah, sorry about that-" The android nodded, cutting Nines off before he could finish his sentence as an angry looking, heavy set man with a beer belly walked into the bathroom, glaring right at the android, then at Nines, then back to the android again & Nines furrowed his brows as he listened to the angry officer speak in an irritated, low tone as he grabbed the android's arm, acting as if Nines wasn't there at all.

"The fuck are you doing in here, you stupid bucket of bolts? Get back to my desk & fill in my fuckin' paperwork. Get a move on!" He spat angrily all the while unceremoniously raising the android's shirt to which the android let out a worried, surprised squeak, freezing in place to allow the angry man to pull the makeshift gauze pad away, throwing it in the bin.

The android didn't bother giving Nines another look as it was shoved out the door, the malignant officer throwing one last glare at Nines for good measure before leaving too, leaving Nines standing alone in the precinct's bathroom, utterly stunned. 

Something _ definitely  _ wasn't right & that android definitely needed his help, whether he was going to ask for it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something I've learned that I have trouble with is my laptop always tries to correct my spellings to the American versions, as a Brit, it's hella frustrating. So if there are inconsistencies, then I apologise!


	3. Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines finds himself going against policy to find more on the android with the scar. Said android finding himself thinking of the daunting detective to help himself not lose his mind as he ends up in a dire situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up for the end of this chapter, a trigger warning for an implied dubious consent/non con blowjob. It isnt explained in detail at all but the implications for what is happening is there so just a warning for that!!  
> Stay safe <3

Nines had convinced himself to get back to work & not allow the ordeal in the bathroom affect his state of mind. 

_It was an android. It was going to be fine_. 

If he kept referring to the android as an it rather than a he, he wouldn't find himself growing attached; simple as that.

The detective continued to repeat those two short sentences over & over again in his own head as if somehow, if he said it enough times, it would eventually sink in & the thoughts consuming his mind would ease off & he could go back to avoiding Lieutenant Anderson; who he knew for a fact would scold his ass for throwing that punch in the interrogation room earlier. 

Nines did not get along with the lieutenant in the slightest. Everybody around their sector of the precinct knew to keep a watchful eye if Nines & the lieutenant were to be in the same vicinity of one another. 

Many times over the years, they had been at each other's throats. Whether that be arguments or the odd physical altercation; it was clear that the pair resented one another with great force. Nines knew why, the answer was simple. As Hank had once put it; he was 'the evil twin'. 

Hank did not agree with Nines' methods of getting confessions, the older man hadn't exactly tried to hide the fact he believes that Nines was simply a soulless man who, if his brother wasn't there to convince everybody to give him a chance, would have been fired on day one; which, was probably true. 

But as time passed, Nines became an asset that Captain Fowler could not afford to lose, no matter what the lieutenant's opinions were of him. Hank believed Nines was as stone cold as his steel eyes & it pissed the older man off that no matter what he said to the detective, Nines simply did not care. 

The arguments would never be about the petty things Hank would call him, but only over Nines believing he was in the right & that Hank needed to get over the detective's ways of getting answers from criminals. 

They were criminals after all.

Anderson just so happened to be partnered with Nines' brother; Connor. So when Nines had shown up to the precinct on his first day, it caused quite the stir due to their uncanny resemblance of one another. 

The only difference being that everybody adored Connor & those big doe eyes he had which made him look trusting & kind. 

Connor was warm, interacted well with others, had a tolerance for bullshit & he was irritatingly patient. Nines had, on multiple occasions, compared him to being a well trained puppy to which he almost got a punch to the face from Hank; who always got defensive whenever the pair would have a sibling squabble.

Those squabbles would usually involve Nines choosing to bring up how much Connor seemed to care. Too much. As a man who was trained to not feel, who was relentlessly pushed to every limit until nothing affected him anymore, Nines couldn't quite figure out why anybody would want to care as much as Connor did.

After overcoming a rocky beginning, Connor & Anderson were joined at the hip. They were very close, which Nines was convinced was the only reason the lieutenant hadn't cut the brakes on his car & tried to kill him yet; he was holding back for Connor's sake, because that man cared deeply for his partner. Even a blind person could see that.

So, despite Lieutenant Anderson's short temper with Nines, he kept it at bay the best he could while Connor was in the precinct, but he knew for a fact that if Anderson found out about that punch, he was going to feel the wrath & it wasn't going to be pretty.

The detective sat himself back at his desk, letting out a quiet, deflated sigh as his eyes wouldn't allow him to focus on writing up a report from the interrogation earlier, his mind swimming with thoughts of the android he knew wasn't being treated fairly. 

He knew that he could simply ask Connor about the mysterious android because his brother knew everybody in the precinct, even in the other sector where most of the beat cops had their desks. 

Connor would surely know of the android with the scar, but Nines didn't want to show his brother that he was feeling some form of concern. He knew that would set Connor off. The man had been infuriatingly persistent with his attempts to get Nines to _care_ about something.

Not to mention, he tried to avoid Connor as much as he could during work hours. Connor felt the need to pry into his personal life if they spoke for too long, as if knowing what Nines got up to outside of work would somehow benefit him. 

He always wanted to know if Nines had met somebody or made friends. It was pathetic & irritating. He didn't need company. He enjoyed the quiet he had in his life. 

This ordeal with the android was nothing more than him doing his job as a detective. Following his training & being sure that nobody was being unfairly treated under the radar. 

With asking Connor out of the question & there was no way in hell he was going to ask Anderson, the detective decided he was going to take matters into his own hands, as he always did. 

He knew what he was about to do was invasion of privacy, against protocol & was another thing to be added to the list of things he was going to be reprimanded for if somebody found out, but he just had to know more. He _needed_ answers.

The detective glanced up from his terminal to be sure nobody, especially the lieutenant, were paying any mind to him. Once the coast was clear, he decided to grant himself access to the department's files on each of their officers. 

The files were password protected, locked behind Fowler's account details but Nines was a sly, resourceful sleuth & got into them with ease. It didn't take him long to find the files on all of the android officers the DPD had. 

Nines still didn't know the android's name, nor did he know its serial number so it took a moment of having to click on each individual file until he found the one with a photo of the android attached, the only difference being it didn't have that blue scar, but those deep eyes that looked as though they had been crafted from emeralds were unmissable.

‘ _GV200 is one of the first police android prototypes. Created to see how machines could work alongside officers on the force, to aid in crime scenes, analyse evidence, write reports & help chase down suspects without losing stamina. _

_GV200 is fast, smart & made to look & feel as human-like as possible, to blend in with other officers with ease so as to not attract too much unwanted attention. This being important if the machine were to aid in some form of undercover work. GV200 is programmed to obey the orders of its partner, doing anything necessary to keep its partner safe & healthy, no matter the cost. _

_GV200 is the only one of its model as it was originally only intended to be a temporary asset to the team until Cyberlife developed better, stronger & smarter models based off of the flaws & strengths of the GV200. _

_This android was going to be returned to Cyberlife to be used as spare parts but was kindly gifted to the force to keep as a few officers, mainly Tina Chen, had vouched for the machine, claiming it to be a part of the team & its company was enjoyable. GV200 has since been partnered with officer Whitman & continues to work alongside him in taking down Red Ice dealers.’ _

By the sounds of it, it seemed as though GV200 had a good record with befriending officer Chen which made Nines wonder why it wasn't partnered with her rather than the angry beat cop he had seen drag the android from the bathrooms. Yet another question he wanted answers for, but couldn't ask without revealing he had got into the files.

There was something else Nines didn't quite understand. 

They didn't want to attract too much attention but then stuck a bright red LED on the side of its head. Why? 

But at least now he understood why the android had synthetic facial hair. He was supposed to look the part of an officer who could work undercover, although Nines assumed that was out of the picture now considering the bright blue scar the android now had across its face. 

The android looked as though it had been pieced together with spare parts, lazily made & had many blemishes along its features. 

Despite Nines not even knowing the android all that well, he could imagine based off of the rough voice & look the android had, it likely had a rough & tough personality to match. It was just being masked & dulled down by the android's clear fear of its partner. 

The detective had almost got to the more intimate details on the android such as its history of working cases, its injuries & reactions to situations but had to quickly log out of the files & close those tabs as he detected Anderson stand from his desk. Better to be safe than sorry. At least now he had a model number. GV200. Now he could ask the receptionist & possibly visit the android at its docking station once his shift was through. Just to be sure the wound on the android's stomach had healed.

As the hours passed by, day turning to evening, GV200 found himself finding progressively more difficult to keep pushing aside the error boxes & warning signs that kept flooding his UI, reminding him that he needed to go into stasis before he goes into a forced shutdown. 

Again. 

The thirium that was steadily leaking from his wound over the course of the day had drenched the lower half of his shirt but with each hour passing, the thirium would fade enough so to his human coworkers, it merely looked like a scratch & nobody batted an eyelid.

After one particularly bold, concerning warning box obstructed his view, the android had very quietly, as calmly as possible asked his partner if he could go into stasis just long enough for his chassis to begin to heal so there wouldn't be so much thirium loss. But he was met with a rage fueled glare as Whitman reminded him that he first had to get all of their paperwork completed & accompany him home before getting to go into stasis. 

Always accompanying him home.

The android knew he didn't have a choice, he had to obey every order if he wanted to keep his place at the DPD & not get sent back to Cyberlife to be disassembled, yet he found an angry spark light a small fire in the pit of his stomach that he had never felt before. 

Maybe it was just his acute pain receptors kicking in at the lack of healing going on, maybe he was going delirious from thirium loss, if that were even possible, he didn't know; but he was tired. Tired of being forced to agree to everything, tired of being pushed around, tired of having his right to stasis taken away from him as if he were a child having their favourite toy taken away. He was just... Tired.

But there was nothing he could do but obey. His partner was his only way of getting thirium. Not to mention that Whitman had reminded him constantly that he's obsolete & could be sent back to Cyberlife at any point if he dares show any signs of deviancy. 

So he keeps his mouth shut. 

He didn't want to die or be taken apart to find his flaws while he could still feel it. He just wanted to do his job & be told that he was doing something right for once rather than being berated for not being better or faster.

The android drew in deep breaths to keep his internal processors cool as he stood himself up, ignoring the dull ache that lingered through his abdomen as he quietly followed his partner out of the precinct, LED spinning that usual deep red. 

Before the android left the glass doors though, he glanced back over his shoulder to the receptionist as he thought about what the detective from the bar had told him. 

_It was just a few steps._ All he had to do was ask for Nines. Nines could be his escape.

Right as GV200 was about to turn on his heels, mustering up the tiniest amount of courage he had to ask the receptionist if he could speak with the intimidatingly tall detective, a firm hand gripped his wrist, yanking him out of the doors, shoving him towards the parking lot.

"The fuck is your problem today, Bolts? Get a fuckin' move on!" His partner's voice was drenched in impatience that GV200 knew better than to try & argue against; so instead simply made his way to the officers car, sitting himself in the passenger side.

Although he hated the idea of stepping anywhere near his partner's home, with Whitman's short temper & anger management issues to match, he needed thirium. Thirium that he would only get his hands on when his partner allowed it. The human had made sure of that a very long time ago.

Once they made it to the quiet cul-de-sac in which Whitman resided, GV200 gripped his police tablet tightly between his hands as he followed his partner into his home, hoping to himself that they could just get the rest of the reports finished quickly so he could get that thirium & go into that stasis he so desperately yearned for. But in the back of his mind, he knew it wouldn't be that easy. It never really was. 

To begin with, GV200 had stood his ground, reminding Whitman that it wasn't professional to take him out of the precinct when off duty unless it was an emergency, but as the human proceeded to remind him of his duties as an android to be sure his partner was always in tip top condition, the android had to comply.

He quietly sat himself on Whitman's couch, switching on the tablet & beginning to work immediately as he ignored his partner head straight for the alcohol cupboard in the kitchen opposite. 

The android simply continued to work away for what seemed like an eternity until Whitman was buzzed enough to make his way over, practically throwing himself onto the couch beside the android, leaning into him as his rum inundated breath filled GV200's processors, a glass in either hand.

"You nearly done with that report yet, GV? I got you your blue juice..." Whitman had a perverse smirk on his face as he gestured to the one glass he was holding all the while downing whatever alcoholic beverage he had concocted in the other glass. 

The android knew for a fact that his partner was already drunk, the man only ever called him by his model number when he was intoxicated. He also got drunk when he wanted something. GV thought perhaps it was because the human would be revolted with having the android in his home when sober.

GV200's LED spun rapidly as he processed the situation, never leaving the dangerous red it seemed to ever be stuck on.

"I'm finished. It just needs your signature & then I can send it to the captain." He nodded as he held out the tablet with one hand, reaching the other out towards the glass of thirium only to have Whitman chuckle, pulling his hand holding the glass away. 

The man placed the glasses on the table so he could take the tablet to sign the report before placing that on the table too, picking the glass of thirium back up. 

"Ah, ah, not so fast, Bolts. You want this? You gotta earn it. You've been nothin' but trouble for me today so you better figure out a way to make up for it if ya want ya blue juice." Whitman's fingers tapped along the glass in an off beat tempo, his words beginning to slur together very slightly as the alcohol began to work its way through his bloodstream. 

GV200 knew what the man wanted, he wasn't stupid & was able to read the room. The way Whitman's eyes bore into him, watching his every move as if he were his meal & Whitman was a bird of prey. 

The way the man leaned against him, his mouth close enough to the android's face for him to taste the alcohol levels that littered the breath the man let out with each sentence. 

The way that very specific smirk lingered on the human's lips. He showed all the signs that the men did when he had been working a case at the Eden Club. Gross & desperate enough to get it up for an android despite their clear hate for the species. It confused GV200 but it wasn't like he had a choice. He didn't want another forced shutdown. Not again.

With the thoughts of the consequences for disobeying filling his mind, it caused his LED to erratically blink red, never settling on simply staying still or spinning casually. No, it was rapidly spinning & blinking as he contemplated any way of escaping his current situation without either being injured or sent away. It seemed bleak but he wanted to try, the best option with the most likely chance of success seemed to simply act dumb.

"Uh, Officer, I don't understand what you would like me to do. I have finished all of our paperwork for the day. My thirium levels are still depleting, if I do not replenish them soon, I'll go into a forced stasis until that has been amended." GV200 hated having to speak in such a formal manner but he had to keep up the act of not feeling a thing. 

He nodded to clarify his point as he slowly stood himself up, glancing over to the front door. 

_Just a few steps,_ that's all it took. 

A few steps to the door & he'd be free. He could jog back to the precinct & talk to that detective that seemed to genuinely care about his well being, if his caring actions in the bathroom were anything to base his personality off of. 

_Just a few steps,_ the android repeated in his mind. Yet, as he willed his feet to move, he couldn't. Not with Whitman slurring out “Where the fuck do you think you're going?” from beside him.

GV200 desperately eyed the door as if silently begging it to swing open & drag him to his freedom but of course, no such luck. 

When he felt his partner stand beside him, angry tension radiating from his body, the android reacted with the first thing he could think of, answering the question Whitman had uttered, in a tone that suggested he was silly to think the android was going anywhere other than exactly where the man wanted him to be.

"To get you another drink, Officer. It would be unfair to drink without you now, wouldn't it?" GV200 shot the officer a fake smile that he hoped would be enough to fool the drunk human who loomed over him. 

Thankfully, it worked & he hurried to the kitchen to pour his partner another glass of rum, body tensing as he sensed the man blocking him in by leaning his heavy weight against the door frame. 

The android turned to the officer with that same fake smile, holding out the glass to the man, synthetically swallowing as the man stalked over, one hand pressing down hard enough on the android's shoulder to cause him to buckle, dropping onto his knees, the other holding the thirium glass.

Whitman took the drink from the android's hand with his hand that had pushed the android down, downing it before putting the glass aside, running his free hand through GV200's hair gently at first before gripping a handful of the soft brown locks in a grip tight enough to cause the android to gasp in surprise. 

He was too weak to bother fighting back at this point, instead he simply drew in a few deep breaths to keep his internals cool as his hands found their way to Whitman's belt.

"Now, there's a good little robot. Was that really so hard? You can have your drink once you're done. Don't disappoint me now."

When GV200 had said he simply wanted to be praised for doing something right, this wasn't what he had in mind. 

Somehow, he found himself not completely overheating & panicking however. He found himself allowing his mind to wander to the soft, kind touches of the detective who had tried to patch him up in the bathroom despite not knowing a thing about him or what had happened. Nines was going to be his escape. He knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blackmailing a slowly bleeding to death android with thirium just to get your own way? Dirty move, Whitman. Dirty move.


	4. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines begins to learn that there is more going on with the android with the scar than it is letting on.  
> An android with anxiety? Now that was a new one.

Time never particularly dragged for the detective, at any point in his life. He never found himself wishing for the hours or days to go by more quickly, nor did he find himself checking his watch every five minutes to check if any more time than those said five minutes had passed. 

Until today.

Nines finally understood why people felt as though time was going by much slower than they wanted it to; they wanted something. 

Whether that something being that they wanted to get home & drink themselves stupid like the lieutenant did much to Connor's disapproval, or whether they just wanted to get something done that wasn't the task they were currently handling. Time seemed to slow to an agonizing speed when the mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of doing or being elsewhere.

The past two days were when Nines realised that time was dragging out for him. He had checked in with the receptionist just as he intended to, found out where the GV200 should be stationed with the other androids to check up on it & the wound it had but, when he got to the area in which androids should be stored to go into stasis for the night, GV200 wasn't there.

Nines found it rather strange, but when he asked around until one of the officers decided to actually speak rather than brush him off pretending they didn't know anything; Nines had found out that the GV200 had left the precinct with its partner, something that happened from time to time, but nobody dared mention it due to Whitman's clear hostility if anybody brought up the fact he was seen off duty with an android. 

The thought of GV200 leaving the precinct doors with that man for any reason other than a case made something in Nines' skin crawl. 

Maybe it was the thought that lingered in the back of his mind from the first night they had met where it was clear that Officer Whitman had made the android drink alcohol. If he could do that & laugh about it, believing that the android was nothing more than a plastic toy he could do as he pleased with; Nines hated to think about the other possible scenarios that would go on behind closed doors.

Each night once his shift was through, the detective would check the android station to see if the GV200 was there but it wasn't. He tried to not allow his mind to wander too far over a situation he knew nothing about, but he couldn't help the inkling feeling that sat in his chest like a small monster threatening to fester into something more, that something was wrong & the android  _ needed _ his help. 

Unable to do much else in his jurisdiction until the android showed its face again & asked for help itself, Nines decided that he would keep checking the docking stations each evening before leaving just incase, but would push his thoughts of the android aside during the day so he could focus his full, undivided, attention back to what he did best; extracting confessions & scaring the shit out of criminals. 

The detective found himself quite enjoying the moments he got in interrogation rooms because it was a space where his mind was only able to focus on the one task at hand. Not to mention it helped to blow off some steam that he knew was building up from the unnerving feeling settling in his bones. 

GV200 made his way quietly into the station once checking himself in, knowing that people were going to ask of his whereabouts considering it had been two days since he had last been seen. 

Whitman had likely gone into work & acted as though he hadn't even noticed the android's lack of presence, which, wouldn't be surprising at all considering it wouldn't be the first time. 

GV200 simply gave his usual, robotic response that he had learnt humans never question. When asked why he wasn't in the precinct, he simply stated he was going for routine checks at Cyberlife to be sure his condition was stable & there were no signs of deviancy or issues in his coding. 

The officers would crack a joke about how sometimes he acted as though he were a deviant when he reluctantly agrees to things or goes to argue the matter when he knows something may not be in his best interest, but lately he had given up on trying to disagree & kept himself quiet.

Whitman was on his break, which gave the android approximately thirty minutes to make his way over to where the detective's had their desks & find the man with those grey eyes & stern voice. 

_ It was just a few steps _ . 

After a few moments of constructing possible outcomes to the situation if Whitman were to catch him speaking with anyone outside of the narcotics unit, the android made his way up the few steps that led towards the higher ranked officers desks, nimble on his feet. 

He scanned the area to find where Nines' desk was situated, letting out a synthetic sigh as he made his way to the vacant desk, allowing himself to look over the trinkets or lack thereof that sat upon it.

Usually, officers enjoyed making their desks a little more unique to them with photos of their family & pets, little ornaments or small plants. He found that humans quite enjoyed making things personal, yet Nines' desk was rather empty. 

He had his terminal, a few papers stacked neatly to the side, pencil pot with an assortment of pens & highlighters in it, an empty photo frame & his name plaque that simply read  _ Det. Nines _ . 

So, maybe Nines was really his name? How... Unusual. Then again, he didn't even have a name himself, so it wasn't like he could judge.

The android was about to curiously scan the empty photo frame to see if it had once been used but now lay empty, but his actions were interrupted as a soft voice cut through his focus, making him jolt back in surprise, looking up to where the voice was coming from.

"Hello, is there something I can help you with, are you lost?" 

Trying to mask that he was startled, the android stared up at the man who had interrupted him, a smile sitting on the human's face despite his eyes glancing at the LED that was spinning a nervous red. 

For a split second, he thought it was Nines, but the voice was too soft & kind. The man looked just like Nines besides for the fact he had soft brown eyes instead & was a little shorter. Must be a sibling, GV200 thought to himself. He synthetically swallowed to help his words escape without his voice sounding too raspy.

"I'm just looking for Detective, uh, Nines? Do you know where I could find him?" The android's voice still came out raspy, static wrapping itself around the words ever so slightly which made the android cringe internally but he was sure the look-a-like-Nines didn't notice. Humans never noticed anything when it came to an androids well being.

"He's currently conducting an interrogation. Is there something I can assist you with instead? I'm Detective Connor Allen, Nines' brother. Your LED is, uh, it's red, is everything oka-" 

"It's broken-" The android spat out, cutting off Connor's question before he had the chance to finish it, not realising his tone sounded very slightly bitter. Again, he hoped the man didn't notice. He hated how people brought up his LED, it made fabricated anger seep into his blood.

Nonetheless, GV200 followed Connor as he led him back to his own desk, watching as Connor exchanged glances with the lieutenant who sat opposite him. It made him mildly uncomfortable, as if they both knew something he didn't. 

"So, may I ask why you're looking for Detective Nines?" Connor smiled again, his voice calm & somehow, the way he spoke made GV200 want to tell the truth, but he knew he couldn't. Not yet. 

Where Nines was an interrogator, this brother had to be some form of negotiator, it almost seeped through the way he spoke in such a composed manner, as if he's ready to handle any situation that may arise. 

The hero type.

"Uh, I'm from narcotics, I have something that may aid in a case he's working on-" The android nodded as he spoke to emphasise the point; something he found himself doing either when he was lying or trying to convince somebody that he was being sincere, which now he realised was basically the same as lying. In its own way.

He glanced around to be sure he was still safe, trying to remind himself that he still had twenty-five minutes, but he couldn't help the nerves that coursed through his wires, keeping that LED blinking red even with Connor's placid voice filling his audio receptors.

"Oh! I thought you were familiar, must have seen you around once or twice, but with no android uniform & all, I didn't realise, my apologies." That sincere smile lingered on Connor's face, but faded as he glanced to the LED again, making GV200 instinctively reach a hand up to pull at a few strands of his hair, allowing them to fall over the LED to help mask it's angry red that he knew put people on edge who weren't used to it. 

"Yeah, I wear a uniform if I'm out in the field, of course. But sometimes they need me to look the part of either a dealer or buyer to help in taking down Red Ice dealers. It seems to be getting worse out there so I wear casual clothes ready to be sent undercover at any moment. Because I specialise in the narcotics unit & we're a small group of officers, they all know me & understand the lack of uniform." He nodded as he spoke, babbling a little too much. 

It wasn't entirely a lie, he was often used to look like a buyer so they could catch petty dealers in the streets, but he mostly wore the same casual clothes due his partner's hatred towards being seen standing beside an android. 

GV200 sensed the tension grow, radiating from the lieutenant opposite as he spoke of Red Ice, choosing to change the subject back to what he had originally came over to this side of the department for.

"Please, I really do need to see Detective Nines, our situation may be time sensitive. Which interrogation room, do you know?" GV200 tried to hide the urgency & static in his tone, but as soon as he got an answer from the talkative detective, he swiftly made his way straight to the interrogation rooms while he still held an ounce of confidence, mumbling a raspy thank you in the process. 

Yeah, because that wasn’t fucking suspicious at all.

The android made his way into the interrogation room, situating himself behind the one way mirror so he could see into the room, watching the scene unfold before him.

Nines was standing tall, looming over a suspect who was showing signs of distress yet wasn't giving the detective the answers he wanted to hear. 

Nines had started off relatively calm, asking questions about the suspects victims, showing the grisly crime scene photos as he berated the suspect for being so inhumane, even going as far as to call the suspect lazy for not covering his tracks properly which is what led to his arrest in the first place. 

The minutes ticked by & GV200 knew that if Nines didn't get this interrogation done soon, he would have to go back to Whitman & pretend as though he was never there; but he didn't want that. He wanted to find his words, to _ talk  _ to the detective, even if it was nothing more than a thank you for trying to help him out. Twice. 

He wanted to show some form of gratitude, even with his fleeting confidence.

He continued to watch the interview go down, taking in all of the details on how Nines moved, his mannerisms & tone of voice, the way he asked questions & avoided the sarcastic responses that the suspect spat back. 

He watched the way Nines placed his gun on the table, tapping his finger over the trigger in a clear show of impatience, but GV200 could see the safety was clicked on. If the suspect was afraid, he'd be too nervous to notice that small detail.

He watched the way Nines' temper seemed to deplete as the seconds passed them by, his eyes never leaving even as Nines proceeded to grip the suspects shirt front, pulling them close so their faces were barely an inch apart, his one hand still holding his firearm. 

Scare tactics. GV200 knew the type all too well.

Although, from the way Nines had treated him with such delicacy in the bathrooms, he did not expect this to be the same man. 

Humans were awfully complicated in that way, it appeared they had more than one personality depending on who they were communicating with & it was difficult to keep track.

As Nines' voice began to raise, GV200's LED began to blink rapidly as fabricated nerves started filling his internals. He didn't understand how he was feeling it, but he knew humans considered it to be anxiety. 

He couldn't be anxious, he was an android. 

He synthetically swallowed before drawing in a deep breath to keep his processors calm, one hand finding its way onto the handle of the interrogation room door so he could intervene. Nines was about to cross a line that sat him on the wrong side of the law. Threatening a suspect with words is one thing but using a firearm to scare them into giving answers was a different thing entirely. 

Right as GV200 was about to open the door, it was pushed open from the other side by the detective who was adjusting one of the sleeves of his shirt as if the whole of the interrogation was nothing more than an easy conversation. The human hadn't even broken a sweat whereas behind him sat the suspect, cuffed to the table with his head buried in his arms, sobs filling the room.

The android jolted back so he was out of the way of the detective, eyes wide, LED pulsing a deep, crimson red, as it always did.

He had constructed sentences in his mind as to what to say to Nines once he finally confronted him, but now he was standing in front of him, his processors were drawing an infuriatingly large blank. So instead, he just stared at the detective who was staring back, waiting. But thankfully, he chose to speak when GV200 stayed quiet.

"What are you doing back here, Officer? This isn't your section of the department, is it?" Nines' voice was cold, emotionless. As if GV200 being there was causing him some sort of trouble.

"I, uh, I'm sorry, Detective, I, nevermind-" Cursing his speech module for deciding to flank on him, the android turned on his feet so he could swiftly leave the room realising this was a mistake & out of those previous times they had run into one another, the man only helped out of guilt. Of course he didn't really care. However, he froze up as a hand gripped his wrist to stop him in his tracks. An uncomfortably familiar feeling.

"Wait, that wasn’t fair, my apologies for being rude. It's just, where were you? You were gone, for two days. I wanted to check on you to see if that wound had healed but you weren't here." The hand that was wrapped around his wrist immediately let go once he had stopped walking away & instead, the detective stepped around so he was facing the android, his face stoic but his eyes, if GV200 wasn't being deceived, were showing genuine concern. 

Had he really checked up on him to see if he was okay? Why? What did he want?

"Well, I'm fine-" The android spat out with mild irritation lacing his words. He couldn't figure out why he felt that small fire burning in his stomach but he knew if he wasn't careful, it was going to engulf him. "-I gotta go, let you get back to illegally extracting your confessions or whatever it is you do around here." 

GV200 kept his head down, too afraid to look into those steel eyes as he spoke with that same raspy tone, static prying its way into his sentences, the last of his confidence dwindling into nothing as those words left his mouth. 

He didn't know what had made him stand up to the detective, he knew the man could go straight to Fowler about his backchat, yet part of him believed this human may not do that. Not when the only reason he stood up to him was because the detective was doing something that the captain wouldn't approve of either.

GV200's hand reached for the door as he was about to leave but once more pausing as the detective spoke, grateful that the man didn't lay a hand on him this time around.

"Hey! Wait, why does your voice sound like that?" 

"My voi- Like what?"

"Like  _ that.  _ It's just, a bit different. A little, uh, mechanical, I guess?"

The android stayed silent for a good few moments as he mulled over which answer to give the detective that was looming over him, awaiting said answer. 

That fire sparking in his stomach offered him the chance to say something cold & sarcastic in retort but the fear of being sent back to Cyberlife was fighting with that fire; threatening to drown that spark. Elements were at war inside of him & it was tearing him apart from the inside out. 

He hated that Nines had noticed. Nobody ever noticed anything about him. 

He was bleeding to death at his desk & nobody had batted an eyelid. Humans just did not care for androids yet here he was, stuck in a small room with a very observant detective who could likely kill him in half a second, but simply wanted to know why his voice sounded different & why he was missing for two days.

The android drew in a deep breath as he cleared his throat despite not needing to, it was mostly a programmed habit to be more human like, but he found it helped with getting words out when they were too stubborn to do it themselves.

"Are you going to pull your gun out on me too if I don't answer your questions, Detective? Because if you are, knowing in advance would be nice. Just so I'm prepared-" That spark in his stomach set ablaze & he was mildly surprised when the detective didn't decide to backhand him for the sarky response. Nines looked almost impressed more than anything by the response.

"You're an android, why would you need to prepare? Are you not faster & smarter than us humans?"

"Maybe. But I'm not on my best game at the moment."

"I can tell. Run me a self diagnostic?"

"No."

"Not this again, why do you always refuse when I want to help? Again, are you not supposed to listen to human orders?"

"I said no because I'm fine."

"I don't believe you. Run it."

_ "No." _

"Run. It."

GV200 wanted to spit out another argumentative response to the detective who was standing over him, yet the overwhelming nervousness starting to twist through his wires stopped him, making his thirium pump stutter in his chest, his optical sensors beginning to fray around the edges. 

He slowly took a step back from the human, his back pressing against the cold wall, the coolness of it soothing to his processors as they began to heat up. The android's LED was spinning again rather than sitting still, his eyes glued to looking at his feet.

Nines watched vigilantly, his eyebrows knitting tightly together as he wondered how such a simple question could cause such a strange effect on an android but then again, he had seen reactions like this before. 

In trauma victims. 

Often reacting one of two ways; they would either completely shut in on themselves & not react to a single thing; allowing everything to bubble up on the inside behind lock & key, whereas others would react through panic attacks & outbursts. 

An android with anxiety? Now that was a new one.

"Hey, hey... It's okay, I won't force you to tell me what the problem is, I only want to help, okay? I'm sorry for pushing." Nines found himself speaking as softly as he could as his training kicked in once more, taking a very slow step closer to the panicking android that was pressed against the wall. 

He cautiously crouched down to meet the android's eyes in the same way he had while trying to patch up the wound that was on its stomach a few days prior. He held his hands up to show he wasn't going to try to touch or hurt the android, his eyes filling with genuine worry.

"I needed thirium." Was all that escaped the android's mouth in a tone so quiet, Nines would have missed it if he hadn't have taken that step closer to the android. Nines nodded slowly, keeping his voice clear of the worry that was trying to take over, his actions being a complete opposite of what the android had seen in the interrogation room a few moments prior.

"Right, I see. Where do you get your thirium from, does the DPD issue it out or does Cyberlife?" 

There was another silence that followed, but the detective could see that his calm voice was helping the android to relax slightly. Its chest wasn't raising & falling so heavily anymore & it had taken up looking at Nines with those eyes he adored to see rather than staring at the floor.

"It's... It's issued out to my partner. He's in charge of making sure I get it when needed." 

Nines nodded as he slowly stood himself up, all the while he found himself unable to stop the intrusive thoughts that flooded his mind that GV200 was being treated like a pet. Only being fed when his partner felt like it. 

It was cruel & unfair & somewhere deep down, he knew that there was more to the situation that the android hadn't told him yet but he wasn't about to push it too far. The android would tell him when it was ready.

"I see, now, I have to ask, did you get the thirium you needed after you were stabbed? Has that wound healed now?" Nines reached one of his hands out slowly so he could hold the bottom of the android's shirt, hesitating for a moment to see if he got pushed away.

But when the android doesn't protest, he mouthed a thank you & raised his shirt enough to see where the wound once lay. Thankfully, it was healed, but in its place sat a long blue scar. How very  _ human.  _

"Sorry for being curious but do you always scar? I've seen other androids get almost blown up but once repaired, nobody would be able to tell." He pulled the androids shirt back over the wound before looking down to meet the android's eyes as it nodded.

"I'm not as advanced as the others. I'm a GV200 which is an old model; one of the first prototypes. I scar, I have pain receptors, I'm slower at constructing possible outcomes & my processors aren't as sophisticated, but they say I'm more human-like than the new models because Cyberlife wanted me to be as human as possible. That included feeling pain & scarring, apparently." 

Nines nodded as he listened, smiling ever so slightly as he heard the android speak more than one or two sentences that for once weren't completely filled with nerves. For once it was saying something that it wanted to, it was opening up which is what Nines had hoped it would do even if the things the android was saying were things he had already read in its file. He'd still take it over nothing.

The detective was about to speak up again, to ask about where he had gone for those two days despite mildly dreading the answer he would get, but he was cut off by the android's sudden, erratic actions. It adjusted its shirt to be sure there were no creases from where Nines had pulled it up. Then, it ran its hands through its hair to neaten it up the best it could, its LED spinning its usual red.

"I have to go back! My partner will be back from his break soon & I have to be there before he does. Uh, thank you for helping me out back in the bathroom. I thought about it to help me get throu- Nevermind. I have to go." The android swiftly left the room without so much as a second glance. Its sentences came out muddled together, its tone laced with that upsetting static that Nines still didn't get an answer for why it was present. 

His vocals must have been damaged somehow & he wanted to know why. He wondered what the android was going to say before it cut its own sentence off. Despite many more questions filling his mind, at least he had a start.

GV200 wanted somebody to care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A negotiator & interrogator as siblings? Family dinners must be awkward.


	5. Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines helps his brother out in a mysterious crime scene, bumping into GV200 while he's there, only to find himself causing more pain than good as he tries to hide his emotions towards the troubled android who's being pushed around by his suspicious partner more than ever.

_ "You can be such a good robot when you want to be, why do you have to make things difficult, huh? I know you're deviant, you might be able to fool everyone else but I can fuckin' see it. I see the way you try & argue or fight back as if you have any rights at all. It's pathetic really, you'll always just be a hunk of fuckin' wires & plastic made to obey, but you knew that already, didn't you? You tell anyone that you shut down for two days & next time I'll make sure you don't wake up, you hear me, Bolts? Now, put yourself to some actual use, would ya, nnghfuck-" _

"-'cking plastic prick. GV200! Hey!" The android snapped out of the memory that was replaying in his processors on repeat as he heard his serial number be called out, a pencil hitting him, point first, right against his cheek. 

He looked up from his desk with a glare to see where the voice & pencil had come from, his features instantly falling back emotionless as he stared right at Whitman who was leaning against his desk, looking as though his head was about to explode from his short temper being pushed to its limits.

"You broken or somethin'? Do we gotta send you to Cyberlife? We got a crime scene that needs us. Get your lazy ass up." With that, the man made his way to his car before the android had the chance to protest about being sent to Cyberlife, a threat that was beginning to get old yet never seized to set fear deep in his metal bones. 

No matter how many self diagnostics he ran, nothing could tell him why his memory banks felt the need to replay particularly bad memories on repeat. Maybe he was just broken from yet another forced shutdown. 

GV200 swiftly made his way out to his partners car as he willed his mind to push the memories aside, silently sitting himself in the passenger side, hoping he wouldn't have to explain as to why he didn't respond right away back in the precinct. Luckily, Whitman didn't care enough to ask. 

Humans never did.

__________

Nines had his fair share of strange crime scenes that didn't seem to make all that much sense, but he always managed to figure things out without the help of others. He was a smart man; which was why Connor had asked him to help him out on a case. 

So, there he was, crouched beside his brother who was standing over the bodies of two androids slumped beside one another, thirium running from the corners of their mouths, no signs of a struggle, no signs of a fight or foul play & no signs of any physical wounds besides minor damage to their thirium pump regulators, but that damage being too minor to be considered relevant. 

It was if these androids just shut down with no cause. It was strange to say the least. Androids didn't just shut down, not unless something had fried their biocomponents.

Connor was always assigned cases that involved androids, especially deviants & Nines had figured it was due to the man's ability to talk anyone down from a breakdown, which deviants had a tendency to do. 

Not to mention, he was one of the few officers that actually treated androids as equals. This one had caught him off guard though considering the androids were shutdown. Usually Connor was called out to the alive ones in dire situations.

The detective stood from where he was crouched in front of the androids, turning to speak with Connor, only to have his words catch in his throat as he saw Whitman waltz onto the scene with GV200 following quietly behind. 

The android was actually wearing a uniform too. Kind of. It wasn't the long sleeved, shiny, high neck uniform that Nines was used to seeing android officers wear but GV200 was wearing a dark blue, almost black short sleeved button down shirt with its blue armband glowing bright, the DPD logo patched on both sleeves near the shoulders. It was wearing black jeans & boots to match. It looked almost... Human.

Whitman had stopped to talk loudly with one of the other officers that were on the scene, leaving GV200 to step up to the bodies so it could take a better look for itself. 

Nines watched, his eyebrows furrowing together at the looks the android received from the other officers as they mumbled between themselves. It made Nines visibly uncomfortable, shifting his weight from foot to foot, yet the android didn't seem to react, it simply kept itself quiet as it scanned over the bodies to see if there was anything it could find that a human couldn't.

"So-" Nines cleared his throat, glancing at Connor before looking back to the android that hadn't acknowledged his presence yet. They hadn't spoke since their moment in the interrogation room the day previously, but a question was burning at Nines' throat, he had to ask even if it sounded stupid. "What brings narcotics out here then? This is an android case assigned to Con-Detective Allen. Why are you here, do you think it's drug related? That's impossible, no?" 

There was a long silence before GV200 tilted its head to look up at Nines from where it was crouched on the floor, a stray lock of hair falling across its forehead. The detective couldn't help but think how adorable the android looked in that moment. Curious & interested if not a little confused. GV200's LED was cycling in calm circles as if thinking, still red but, Nines could have sworn he saw it blink yellow as the android had looked at him. 

GV200 was about to open its mouth to speak, but the words never got their moment of freedom as it was cut off by its partner who had marched over after seeing GV200 go to speak to the other detectives, his hand finding its way onto the back of the android's neck as he spoke in a gruff, short tempered tone.

"Can never be too sure, eh? Heard rumours of some backwards-ass drug that androids can get a kick out of, wanted to see for ourselves seeing as you wouldn't be able to figure it out without us. My little robot here is gonna find out if I was right or not, aren't ya, Bolts?" Whitman smirked as he shoved GV200 closer to the bodies by the hand that was on his neck, causing the android to almost stumble into the corpses but managed to stabilize itself, letting out a very quiet sigh that nobody took note of besides Nines.

Nines was about to step up to Whitman as anger directed towards the man & his pointless hostility & petty remarks swam around his chest, but Connor could sense it, nudging his brother's shoulder while shaking his head & mumbling quietly, "We'll deal with it later, Nines. Don't. We're not here to start a fight."

"Android drugs? That's a new one... How did you know this could be related to that? We only just got called out about it?" Nines voiced his suspicions to Whitman who chose to shrug, ignoring him which only vexed the detective further.

Whitman shifted around so he could swipe up some of the thirium from the side of the dead android's mouth, holding it out to the GV200 that was crouched in front of him, looking up with those gorgeously deep, forest green eyes, glancing to Nines for barely half a second before back to its partner.

"My scan of the scene says enough, a thirium sample won't be nece-"

"Open up, forensics lab, we don't got all day!" GV200's LED began to cycle ever so slightly faster as Whitman cut its sentence off & nodded, mumbling out a raspy apology before poking its tongue out so it could lick up the thirium that was sitting on Whitman's fingers. 

Something about the whole scene playing out before Nines' eyes was making his skin crawl. Again.

The way the android was on its knees in front of Whitman, with the man's fingers in its mouth. The way it looked a little afraid, the way its LED blinked a nervous red. The way Whitman was so rough & cruel with not only his actions but his words too, yet no officer reacted or even bothered to glance in their direction. 

Nines wanted to beat the shit out of Whitman right there & then for laying a hand on the android, forcing it to test the thirium, even if that was its job, it would do it in its own time. But again, it was Connor beside him who stopped him from taking action with another shoulder nudge. 

Instead, he simply watched. Watched as GV200's face screwed up in what could only be described as disgust as he tasted the thirium to which Whitman simply laughed & nodded, ruffling up GV200's hair as he spoke, "That's exactly what I thought! Fuckers have made a drug that android's can feel! It's written all over your face, Bolts, their blood has some shit in it, huh?"

" _ Wait! _ You're telling me you just made it ingest tainted thirium? Are you out of your mind?! What if it has the same result on your partner too?" Nines piped up before he had the chance to stop himself, taking two long strides forward so he could crouch in front of the android who was still crouched down, pushing Whitman back in the process, watching as GV200's LED blinked rapidly, so red, he'd be surprised if it didn't burn to touch.

He couldn't help the way he got defensive over the android after keeping his impatience at bay the entire time of seeing Whitman treat it so inconsiderately. The thought of GV200 taking some form of drug infested thirium made the detective think back to the night they met when Whitman had made the android drink alcohol. How could a man care so little for their partner? It didn't matter what colour they bled, everybody deserved a little respect. 

"You wouldn't have a human officer sniff cocaine to see if it's really cocaine, would you? What makes you think this is any different?!"

"Chill! The plastic prick has had far worse in its mouth than a little bit of thirium, if you catch my drift-" Whitman laughed to himself through his words, one of the other officers snickering to himself too & Nines had to swallow back the bile that was rising in his throat as he spat out angrily, "Yeah, I catch your drift, Asshole..."

It took every ounce of his control to not pull his gun out on Whitman & add one more body to the crime scene, but he couldn't. Not only did he have no proof of the things he had a feeling Whitman was doing to the poor android, said android needed his help & that was far more urgent than his  _ need _ for violence. 

There was a not so small inkling feeling in the back of Nines' mind after that comment Whitman had made which made him think back to when he had asked the android as to why his voice sounded a little static like, as if he had somehow been damaged & yet again, he found himself swallowing back the bile that threatened to crawl up his throat as he pieced everything together in his mind.

Nines threw Connor a sour glare to which Connor nodded in understanding, sighing as he began to talk to Whitman about the case, leading the man out of the scene in the process, leaving Nines & the android alone.

For once, he was grateful for Connor.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, this is my job, even if its detrimental to my health. It happens. It's not a problem. It's my job to aid in any investigation in any way I can." GV200 began to mumble out quietly in his raspy voice, words laced with that heart wrenching static that was barely noticeable now, but Nines could still sort of hear it. 

He could also sense the android was worried about whatever it was that it had just ingested, not wanting a repeat of the panic the android had felt outside of the interrogation room, Nines attempted to speak about something that may make it feel better.

"GV, hey, hey, you're alright, okay? Did you want me to take you back to the precinct? We'll get to work on the case together if you'd like? Whitman doesn't have to be a part of it, I'll make sure of it. Me & you, how about that?" Nines kept his voice at a low level, trying to cheer the android up, all the while scanning its features for any signs of distress, but there was nothing to give away what was going on inside its mind besides the LED blinking rapidly; red then yellow then back to red again. 

Nines had only ever seen it blink that golden yellow twice, but both times he wasn't certain if it was his eyes deceiving him or not. But now it was clear as day, spinning & blinking red, yellow, red, yellow, over & over again as if it was confused & couldn't settle on which colour it wanted to show.

The android didn't bother to reply to Nines' question, it stayed staring at the deceased androids as one of its hands flew up to its sternum, fingers digging into its framework through its shirt over where its thirium pump sat. 

Nines' brows furrowed as he watched, it was if the android wasn't even paying attention to its own actions, too dazed to care. So he swiftly reached a hand out to hold GV200's wrist to stop it from harming itself at all, speaking as softly as he could once more.

"Hey, does it hurt? Don't do that, c'mon, let's get you back to the precinct, yeah? I know you're a stubborn bastard & don't want to, but run a self diagnostic, you don't have to tell me what's wrong if you don't want to but I just want to know if that thirium could somehow be dangerous to you.”

After a short pause, Nines continued, “This is a whole other ball game. We have no idea how it works or what  _ 'it' _ is for that matter." As Nines spoke, he slowly stood himself up, all the while helping GV200 to stand too, one hand still holding the android's wrist with a grip loose enough for GV200 to pull away if need be as he led it out to his car.

It was sort of a comforting feeling that GV200 hadn't flinched or pulled away from Nines' touch like he had every other time. The detective was silently hoping that they had begun to build up some form of mutual trust.

"If you can figure out what was in that thirium, it'd really help us out. Please let me know if it's causing a negative affect on you, okay? I'm hoping it'll be fine because it was only a small amount but you can never be too sure." The detective unlocked his car before asking the android to wait there as he made his way over to Connor, pulling him away from the officer in which he was speaking to, Whitman having clearly made his way back to the precinct already, leaving GV200 to make its own way back.

"What the  _ fuck  _ was that? They're making drugs for androids now? How is that even possible? Did you see the way he made GV200 test the thirium? The fu-"

_ "Nines,  _ calm down. You've never reacted like this before, where is all this anger coming from? Is it because of him?" Connor nodded over towards the android that was leaning against Nines' car, looking as though he was scanning the area with a dazed look on his face, LED still blinking red. "I know his partner wasn't treating him fairly but it isn't our place, brother-"

"No, it's not that. It's just, how did Whitman know to be here? Nobody would have guessed this was drug related so how the hell did he know? What if the thirium makes it sick? I bet that bastard knew exactly what he was doing when he made GV lick the thirium. Wouldn't be the first time he's made it do something like that."

"Nines, Whitman already told me that he found out about this case through some talk around the precinct. They had run into cases similar & wanted to see if this one was the same stuff. And by 'it', you mean the android? I can see you care about him & want to help him out, Nines. Why him? You said this isn't the first time; you two know each other, why didn't you tell me?"

"What? No, it's not like that. It's just another case to me, Connor, it's in a bad spot & I wanted to help it out, but it's just metal made to look human which is probably why I let it get under my skin.” Fuck, Nines could be as cold as his eyes seemed when he was avoiding his own emotions. “I'm just trying to figure out why Whitman was so fast to jump on this case like it matters to him? It's sketchy, no? There's something off about that guy & I wanna figure out what it is."

"You don't mean that & you know it. Why do you have to burn every bridge of possibility or push anyone away who makes you feel something? You care about him & you know it!" Connor knew this wasn't the place to be picking a fight with his brother about his frozen over emotions but he couldn't help it. He hated the way Nines acted like not a goddamn thing mattered & said cruel things in the process of keeping his cold demeanor up to par. 

He didn't even bother responding to Nines' ridiculous theories on Whitman because that's all they were. Theories. Theories fueled by his anger from seeing the man treat the android that Nines clearly cared so much about poorly.

"Fuck off, Con. It's a fucking tin can with issues! Stop acting like you kno-" Nines' sentence was cut short before he had the chance to finish it by the quiet yet familiar sound of someone clearing their throat from behind him.

The detective swallowed his guilt from the words that had just fallen from his lips as he turned to see GV200 standing there, leaning his weight against its left leg, hand placed over its regulator once more. LED an angry red with a sadness filling those emerald eyes that were glaring right at Nines. As if glaring would somehow mask the sadness that was washed across its features.

"Yeah, uh, well this Tin Can just wanted to tell you that the thirium has traces of norketamine laced with toluene & lithium along with some other substances that I can't pick up yet. By the look of the components, it's a reverse engineered version of Red Ice; which is made using thirium which is why normal Red Ice doesn't have an affect on androids. This substance wouldn't have an affect on _ metal made to look human _ until it's mixed into its own thirium. Quickest way being through the thirium pump regulator, I assume.”

Drawing in a fabricated breath, GV200 continued, “Hope that helps with your case, Detectives. If you don't mind, I'll be on my way, I have work to do. For the record, seeing as you asked; the tainted thirium isn't causing any issues to my processors yet besides an ache in my regulator but that shall pass. Figured I'd tell you incase it aids in your investigation." GV200's sentences came out raspy, but the pure misery that drenched its words was unmissable & felt like a stab to Nines' chest.

"GV, I-" Nines could see clear as day that his words had hurt the android all because he was trying to keep his own feelings safe, not caring for who he hurt in the process. "I didn't mean that, I, I'm sorry.  _ Wait!  _ " Nines tripped over his words as he attempted to get the android to stop walking away from him, finding himself genuinely surprised when GV200 stopped but was shot down by the bitter words that left its mouth.

"Yeah, I've heard that one before. Multiple times. I'm sorry for bothering you, Detective. Please do not attempt to speak to me at work again, thank you." The way in which the android spoke sounded so… machine like. As if any emotion it may have once felt had been buried deep down inside to avoid getting hurt. 

Again, oh, how very human.

Nines stood, watching as the android walked in the direction of the precinct before disappearing out of sight, leaving him standing there in the bitter Detroit cold with Connor at his side who had chosen to stay quiet as he watched his brother sabotage yet another good thing that could have happened.

"God fucking dammit!" Nines groaned out in an irritated tone, running a hand through his hair as he looked over at Connor who was staring at him, stunned at the outburst considering he's only known his brother to be completely stoic, no matter the situation. Nines was similar to a butterfly knife, incapable of opening up without hurting somebody in the process.

The man was a soldier. He had taken out killers with no remorse, gone undercover with no negative repercussions on his mental state, he'd thrown punches all the while staying completely unphased by the punches or cruel words that would be thrown back. 

He'd threatened & intimidated his way to the top of the chain, never once breaking a sweat or showing a single care in the world. Until now. 

Connor could see those stone cold walls crumble around the detective no matter how hard he tried to hide it & it was all down to an android that he barely knew? It didn't make sense, but Connor wasn't one to question how emotions worked, he just accepted them for the messy storms they were & hoped that one day his brother could accept them too before they swallow him whole.

Nines' emotions were frozen in place, but he could see GV200 was melting away at the glacier & if Nines wasn't careful, they'd drown him before he had the chance to swim.


	6. Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: Drug use that's non con in this. I think that's the best way to describe it, so just watch out for that when GV gets to Whitman's house <3

If anybody else had bothered to ask why GV200 had been hovering around the precinct so silently for the rest of the evening, he would have easily replied with one of his well known mechanical responses, but having Whitman pull him aside in the break room to ask why he was acting so strangely, it caught the android completely off guard. 

Especially when Whitman decided to say how they had been partners long enough for him to notice differences in GV200's behaviour. Whitman never noticed anything. He was cruel, cold & brutally unfair on a good day & the android knew for a fact that whatever reason Whitman had to suddenly decide to show some form of interest, he knew it would be for the man's own personal gain. 

Yet, GV200 just wanted somebody to care.

"I guess I thought I had made a friend, maybe. But, I was wrong. It's nothing, I'm sorry." The android nodded as he spoke, diverting his eyes to the coffee machine to make Whitman a cup of coffee, enjoying the smell of the roasting beans filling his senses, it bringing a subtle sense of calm, trying to ignore the way Whitman cruelly snickered under his breath as he spoke.

"A friend? You mean Detective Prick from the scene earlier? Wait, wait, you actually thought-" Whitman began to laugh rather than just snicker as he snatched the coffee cup from the android's hands, downing a few gulps to stifle his cruel laughter before continuing, "-you thought he would care about a beat cop, especially of the robot kind? Considering you got a fuckin' super computer in that metal skull of yours, you sure are thick-" Whitman poked a finger against the spinning red LED that sat on the sulking android's head with his free hand, rolling his eyes as GV200 instinctively pulled a few strands of hair down to hide the LED after the intrusive touch.

GV200 knew that Whitman didn't really care at all, this was just another thing he could berate the android for & possibly use against him later. But in the moment, that didn't matter, it felt good to get what he was feeling into words. 

Yes, Whitman didn't care but at least he saw GV200 as more than simply another case. Or at least, that's what the android had begun to convince himself.

"Come on, we're done for the day, let's go blow off some steam." Was all that left Whitman's mouth, indicating the conversation was over as he swigged the rest of his coffee before marching off out of the precinct doors, leaving GV200 idling in the break room for a few moments before the silence was interrupted by a bubbly, excited voice.

"GV! Long time no see, eh? How's my favourite robocop doing?!" The full-of-love voice belonged to Officer Tina Chen. She barely got to see the android since being transferred from the narcotics unit, but still tried to see him where she could, understanding how troubling it can be in the world for androids. 

Tina always believed that androids were sentient & a form of life that deserved respect but was never able to say anything without being laughed out of the room. But with nobody around, she had the chance to talk to GV200 as if he were, well, human. 

"Oh, hey, Tina." Was the only response that the officer received & GV200 nodded as he plastered a fake smile across his face, letting out a surprised huff as the officer threw herself against his chest, giving the android one of her famous crushing bear hugs.

"Glad to see you haven't reverted to calling me 'Officer Chen' again, you haven't forgotten about me, then? Don't think I didn't notice your LED, tough guy, c'mon, what's going on?" Officer Chen released from her hug to look GV200 in the face, a sad smile sitting on her own. She was never one for small talk, always getting right to the point. 

For months after the android had first been deployed to the DPD, the pair had been completely inseparable, working on many cases together & the human had grown very fond of the humour, compassion & fire that the android possessed but as he got partnered with Whitman, that spark completely faded & Tina could tell that he was merely a shell of the android he once was. 

The android who would run through a hail of bullets just to catch a bad guy all the while cracking jokes about being terminator. He was so empty now. 

She found the android to be more human-like than his red blooded peers & she couldn't help the way her heart sank to see him get treated so poorly with nobody around to help pull him out. 

"It's nothing, Tina, I already told Whitman about it. There was this detective-"

"A  _ detective _ , huh? Tell me more!" The cheekiness in the officer's voice resembled that of a teenager listening to gossip & GV200 found his sadness beginning to melt away. Getting to talk with his only friend for the first time in months felt like nothing he had ever experienced before.

"Well, I was beginning to tell you but you're the one who interrupted me. I think I misjudged a situation, that's all, I might be damaged. I thought I could have, I don't know really, I guess-" The android found himself tripping over the words that were supposed to come so easily from his mouth, his processors beginning to heat up, LED spinning rapidly. 

He couldn't tell the officer what was going on, not with the risk of her losing either her job or the respect she had worked so hard for if she tried to fight for him. Luckily, Chen seemed to understand, taking a step closer as she lowered her voice so only the android could hear what she had to say.

"Look, G, you know I know better than anyone that you feel more than anybody else in this damn place-" The sad smile on her face only grew as she ran a finger over the blue scar that sat prominent on the android's face, his nose scrunching up from the touch, turning his head to the side as if the action would help him hide away.

Tina continued to speak as softly as she could, "I don't know if you're a deviant or whatever they call it, you know I've never cared because you've always had this human way about you. But that doesn't define you. You're more than some wires & code, G & you tell me who this detective is, I swear I'll kick his ass for hurting you-" She nudged his shoulder with a soft laugh escaping her lips.

_ That. _ That was the reason he couldn't tell her about Whitman, not when she was willing to stand up to Nines even though he wasn't even the real problem. 

With a soft sigh, the android began to explain everything that Nines had said to cause his mood to drop so drastically & how he genuinely thought for a moment that there could have been something between them if he worked on opening up to the detective. But after what the man had said, clearly that was out the window despite him beginning to think somebody besides Tina cared for his well being.

Unfortunately, the android never got to continue saying what he wanted due to Whitman angrily storming back into the precinct so he could drag GV200 out by the wrist before he could say goodbye to Tina, only managing to mouth a 'thank you' in her direction for reminding him that there is good in the world despite the darkness that surrounded him. 

Getting to speak with her again had helped lift his spirits even if it was only for a fraction of a second before Whitman chose to stamp all over his slither of happiness.

Making his way into Whitman's house, the android silently followed the human, adjusting himself on the couch as Whitman shoved him down, ordering him to wait there while he went & made himself a drink in the kitchen. 

GV200 synthetically sighed to himself as he glanced around the messy household, scanning the area out of pure habit as one hand found its way up to the scar on his nose, tracing his fingers along it in the same way Tina had back in the break room, his actions stopping as Whitman came back into the living room with two glasses in his hands. The usual.

The android couldn't help the deep breath he drew in as he mentally prepared himself for what he was going to have to do to get his hands on that thirium. It wasn't like it was dire for him to take it this time, but that didn't mean his body wouldn't appreciate it.

Whitman plopped down beside him on the couch with that familiar perverse smirk on his face as he held out one of the glasses to the android, a dark shadow casting across his features as he spoke.

"Blue juice, Bolts? For ya troubles. C'mon, shit day means we drink." Whitman's voice came out in a somewhat kind tone, but GV200 had heard that tone before. The kindness wasn't kind at all, it was purely the opposite, he knew that… Yet he obliged. 

Sighing as he reached for the glass, the android couldn't help the surprised look that washed over his features as the human actually allowed him to take the drink without having to perform some sort of sexual act for it first.

The human simply flashed that sadistic smirk, clinking their glasses together before downing his own alcoholic beverage, his eyes never leaving the solid gaze they held on the android. He wanted so badly to test the thirium first, call it a gut feeling, but knew that in doing so, he would only cause more issues to arise & he was sick of being beat down for the smallest of actions.

So instead, GV200 merely nodded to the officer as he knocked back the thirium, eyes going wide at the bitter taste that immediately filled the sensitive receptors in his mouth. 

Something wasn't right. 

The android instinctively coughed in the hopes it would help the burning sensation leave his throat, but it only traveled quickly through his esophagus & into his chest like a forest set ablaze inside of him.

That wasn't just thirium & he knew it. 

GV200 stared with his wide eyes at Whitman, hand coming up to instinctively paw at his thirium pump regulator through his shirt in the same way he had back at the crime scene as that familiar burning sensation only got more intense as the regulator whirred a little faster in his sternum.

"What the- I don't understand. Whitman, wha- It burns-" The android found himself having trouble to actually get his words out as error boxes began to pop up in his vision, warning him of unknown substances in his thirium that need to be removed immediately before permanent damage is caused. 

Only a few chemical names popped up in little boxes around his HUD to indicate what he had ingested but for the most part, his vision was overloaded with bold text boxes stating:  **_‘UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE ENTERING THIRIUM PUMP REGULATOR. EXTRACT IMMEDIATELY’_ **

"What? Don't look so scared, lil bot, it'll take the edge off! Sick of seeing ya' shaking in ya' boots like a sad little lost mouse. It's getting on my nerves! Besides, I need to see how it reacts to your body 'cause there'd be no point in formulating a drug if it just kills ya now, would there? So, we've tweaked the original formula & you're gonna be our little test subject. Hopefully it doesn't react in the same way the old formula did with those two androids back at that crime scene-" Whitman laughed through his words, his eyes dark & cold but not in the way Nines' were. 

No, this was a different kind of cold. Brutal. No remorse. Nines was only cold out of protecting himself, or at least that's what he assumed. Whitman was cold out of pure enjoyment in being sinister. 

"You-" The android had to synthetically swallow before speaking as some of the thirium attempted to crawl back up his throat, his processors begging for its escape. "-But you're an officer of the law, I don't-  _ Why?" _ His words were still having trouble actually escaping his throat which only frustrated the android further as he attempted to stand, his legs wobbling under his light weight. 

Whitman's reactions were quicker, smirking as he shook his head, gripping the android by the elbows, forcing him back down on the couch as GV200 attempted yet again to form coherent sentences despite the error boxes flooding his UI & the pain in his chest being rather irritating distractions.

"What's going to happen to me, Whitman? You gonna, uh, you gonna let me shutdown like those androids b-back at the crime scene?" There was a bitterness in GV200's tone, as if the bitter taste of the drugged thirium had somehow leaked its way into his words. 

Mustering up what was left of his courage, GV200 continued to spew his thoughts aloud, he figured if he was going to die then he might as well die with a bit of dignity & at least stand up for himself. Swallowing again as his throat began to feel sticky, the android threw the best glare he could muster as he spoke with venom on his tongue.

"You just gonna get a new f-fuckin' toy to play with?  _ Fuck. You. _ You're not gonna get away with this, you know that right? Tina will notice I'm gone-" The error boxes clouded his vision & his limbs were beginning to feel weak & heavy all at once, it was disconcerting but he was grateful there was no shutdown timer in his vision. At least, not yet anyway. 

Deciding it didn't exactly matter if he was going to die, he weakly attempted to throw a punch at Whitman who simply laughed as he caught the android's fist with his hand, twisting his wrist until a pained yelp escaped the android's lips.

"Lost little mouse found some confidence, huh? & a foul mouth at that. We really should fix that sometime." Whitman chuckled as he tapped his chin as if to be in deep thought, his other hand still holding the android's balled fist in a vice tight grip.

GV200 yanked his hand as hard as he could to break free from Whitman's grasp, staying silent for a few moments, blocking out the cruel words Whitman was spewing in his directions before drawing in a few deep breaths to keep his internals cool, pushing aside as many error boxes as he could, all the while trying to ignore the way his eyes began to feel heavy, head feeling as though it was filling with cotton wool.

_ It's just a few steps _ .

Standing on those shaky legs once more, the android darted to the door as quickly as his wobbly legs would allow him. For once, he was grateful for his shortness in height & his agility because they were the perfect pairing for him to be able to duck beneath Whitman's arm as the human tried to grab him, getting to the front door with little to no trouble. 

Trouble only flooding his senses as he realised the door was locked.

Nines' eyes widened ever so slightly at the sudden intrusion of his personal space, a small, angry officer dragging him by his elbow from his desk to the far side of the precinct where they were out of earshot from the other detectives, Connor glancing up from his own desk with surprise at the bold actions of the smaller woman. 

It was rare to see anybody dare step up to his brother, let alone lay a hand on him. Especially when they were barely five foot three & Nines stood at a confident six foot two.

"Now, you listen to me straight, Detective  _ Nines. _ That 'tin can with issues' as you so rudely called him has more god damn emotions than you could ever dream of having! He was programmed to have empathy & unlike these newer androids we're seeing on the force, Gav-, I mean, GV has always been heavily in touch with his emotions even if he tries to hide it, which means your words actually affected him, you know that, right? He can  _ feel _ it! Just like a human can." The officer poked Nines right against his chest over his heart for some emphasis on her point. Her words came out in some form of shout-whisper. Quiet but harsh enough for her sentences to sound defensive & serious.

Still stunned, it took Nines a few moments to take in the situation, eyes falling to look at the officer's name badge. Officer Chen. Why did that seem so familiar? Oh.  _ Oh. _ Tina Chen, the officer who had vouched to keep the android working with the DPD rather than being returned to Cyberlife. 

GV200 must have told her about what had happened at the crime scene. 

Shit.

"Officer Chen, I appreciate you voicing your concerns for the android but it has been made clear for me to not interact with it again so you won't have to worry about me saying anything else that may cause an issue-" Nines knew he wouldn't stick to his words & he was definitely going to interact with GV200 again, he just had to figure out a way to redeem himself first, however long that was going to take.

"He feels everything, Detective. Pain receptors don't just imply the physical ache of being hurt, but I suspect you should already know that." The officer took a step back & gave Nines a once over with a judgmental look on her face as if she could tell his whole life story simply by one glance. "Maybe you should remember that for next ti-"

"I told you, I won't be speaking with GV200 again as per to its request."

"Oh bullshit & you know it. He needs you, Detective. For the record, a good start would be calling him a  _ he _ rather than an  _ it. _ Oh, & maybe actually use his name?"

There was a moment of silence as those words sunk into Nines' mind, causing him to think back to when he had asked the android what he should call him, but never did get an answer. Maybe now he'd get that answer. 

This could be his solution to the many questions that were spiraling in his mind, threatening to engulf his fucking sanity. 

The detective led Officer Chen back towards his desk, sitting with her sitting opposite, leaning forward but keeping his voice quiet. Luckily, the precinct wasn't too hectic today meaning the only ears that would be listening in on their conversation would be those that belonged to Connor, Hank or Chris. 

All of which Nines figured he could trust if they did overhear any of the conversation between the two. 

Or he could just kill them. But the former option seemed most appropriate. 

"So, backtrack for a moment. He has a name?" Nines' voice came out quiet & lacking any sign of emotion but he could tell that Tina knew he cared, in his own way. The android must have told her everything he had done so far to try & help before he went & well, fucked everything up.

"Well, not officially. Back when we spent everyday together, we got onto a first name basis & we found it amusing that he could call me Tina but I still had to call him GV200. So we decided on a name with a ‘G’ & a ‘V’ in it instead. Gavin. I said it's a stupid, plain name considering he could pick anything he wanted, but I could see the way his eyes lit when I called him Gav." All of the bite had completely fizzled away from the officer's voice as she recounted the memory, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Nines nodded as he got lost in his deep thought pool of questions for a moment. They used to spend everyday together, which meant they probably got close, maybe she knew more about the situation than he did.  _ Work it like a case, Nines _ thought to himself as he drew in a deep breath, trying to not allow his mind to consume him. 

"So, you & he were close? Shouldn't he have been returned to Cyberlife & replaced? Is he a deviant? Why doesn't he speak up about his partner treating him poorly? I've seen it with my own eyes, it isn't like Whitman is trying to hide it-" 

Officer Chen's brows furrowed together at the bombardment of questions, her voice growing even softer as she leaned over the desk to be sure nobody but Nines could hear what she had to say.

"Yeah, we were close. They wanted to replace him but I asked if we could keep him, I acted like he was just a good asset & it was convenient to have an officer who could take bullets for us without dying, y'know? Had to say all of this formal stuff but it worked, I guess. I wanted to keep my friend. Cyberlife kindly allowed us to keep him after all of the praise he got. He did stop a few humans from being shot. Hell, that android saved my life. I owed it to him to save his. But now I'm starting to think that maybe I didn't save him, that I only made things worse-"

"Hey, no, you can't think like that. But judging by the comment, you know about Whitman?"

"I mean, I guess, I'm not blind, y'know? I can see the way he treats him but I don't have a say in the matter. I think there's more going on but Gav won't tell me even if I pry. I think, I don't know, I think he struggles with emotions, y'know? Very human in that way.”

She sighed softly & when Nines made no effort to interrupt, she continued. “He was Cyberlife's first proper pet project. So they made him to feel everything as a human would. But they found that it caused complications with decision making, which I suppose is why the newer models don't show much empathy, they just want to get their mission done. But because he was their first, I don't know, test subject? They added all the emotions, pain receptors, the humour, ability to scar, all that jazz. 

Tina shrugged, a sad look on her face. 

Nines was about to speak, but she beat him to it. “As for the deviant question? I don't know. But then again, neither does he. If he feels so much already, how is he supposed to know what this whole deviancy crap even means? He's just Gavin. Whether that's blue blood or not, deviant or not, it shouldn't matter."

She looked directly up into Nines' eyes, her own showing that familiar pleading look that GV2-Gavin's had shown on the first night they had met.

"Please, Detective. Show a little compassion, he's counting on you-" That was all that Tina said with a nod before swiftly leaving to get back to work, leaving Nines yet again with more questions he needed answers for. But one thing he did know was that he needed to fix things. 

Fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We stan protective Tina. Or as I like to call her: ProtecTina


	7. Intoxicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drinking away his troubles, Nines finally builds up the courage to apologise to GV200 but it doesn't go as he had originally planned.

It had taken four days & many drinks from happy hour before Nines had built up enough liquid confidence to actually find what he wanted to say to the android with the scar. 

Friday's were supposed to be his day off, but even a day free from the chaos of the precinct couldn't grant him freedom from the chaos in his mind. 

Nines' rule was simple; no drinking to get drunk unless the case was too heavy to handle alone. Yet, since the first night he had met the android in this very bar, all he wanted to do was drink to forget. To forget the emotions he tried to desperately keep bottled up & locked away. To forget the fact he cared so much for a fucking android. To forget that said android's mannerisms & demeanor just screamed that he was one of those cases that needed Nines' expertise to help him escape. 

Yet here he was, too many scotch's past his usual limit, head pounding as he tried to drown his all consuming thoughts in alcohol. Not that it was working.

Nines stumbled to a standing position from his seat at the bar, slamming his hand down on the table to grab his keys, only to have Jimmy, the bartender, beat him to it so he essentially just slammed his hand down on Jimmy's instead. 

He shot him the best narrowed eyed glare he could muster as the bartender shook his head, his grip tightening on the keys as Nines made a feeble attempt to pry them from his grasp.

"No, don't start this game with me, Detective. You've been doing so well recently, but you know the rules; walk it or I'll call you a cab, make your choice but I'm keeping these until the morning." Jimmy's grip tightened a little more on the keys, holding out the bar's phone with his free hand to show he was willing to call the detective a cab if that's what he chose. 

It took a few moments of silence & an awkward hand hold before Nines finally nodded & tucked his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket as he mumbled out, trying to keep his words from slurring, "Fine. Cab it is. Even though 'm fine. To the precinct-"

"The precinct? Are you joking?"

"No, it's only, uh-" The detective shifted his hands from his pockets so he could check the time on the antique watch he still wore, eyes squinting in the hopes it would make the hands & numbers of the watch stop doubling up. "Uh, 6:00 P.M. It's only 6:00 P.M, I got someone I gotta talk to-"

Jimmy blinked a few times in sheer surprise that not only did the detective want to go back to work on his day off, while intoxicated no less, but also wanted to speak with someone? It was a well known fact that the big scary detective that came to the bar every Friday didn't enjoy company. 

Nor did he drink before work. 

The man had respect for the job he had so what the hell had changed to put him in such a strange mood? That someone must be of importance, especially considering Nines had rambled away about said someone the whole time he was drinking. Usually the stoic fuck simply drank in silence until he was buzzed enough to wash away the troubles of the week. But this was different.

"Whatever you say, man. But, I'm calling your brother to tell him you're showing up like, well, like this." Jimmy gestured to Nines as he spoke before tucking the detective's keys into his pocket as he phoned Connor.

He gave the more stable brother a brief rundown of what was going on over the phone based off of what he had gathered from Nines' drunken ramblings. Once he was done on the phone to Connor, he called a cab, offering a sad smile to the man standing idle in front of him.

"Have a good evening, won't you, Detective? Come pick up your keys tomorrow." The bartender nodded, tapping his pocket where the keys safely sat to which Nines nodded, muttering a thank you before trudging outside to wait for the cab, lighting a cigarette in the process, thinking back to the first night he had met the troubled android in this very spot.

Nines stumbled through the precinct doors, tripping over his own feet but managing to stable himself before he face planted the floor, glaring at his feet as if somehow it was their fault.

He then made his way through the bullpen so he could get to where GV200’s desk should be situated, only to be stopped halfway by Connor gripping his elbow rather tightly. The older brother spun him around so they were face to face, an irritated look in those usually soft, puppy like features as he spoke just above a whisper, but his tone stern.

_ "Nines! _ What the hell do you think you're doing? You're drunk. Please, let me take you home, get some sleep & we can talk about this tomorrow." Connor's grip on his brother's elbow never let up, holding the taller man in place as he spoke, trying to ignore the smell of alcohol that seeped from the detective with every breath he took.

"No, no, I need to see him, Con, gottsa apologise to 'im, gottsa tell him 'm sorry-" Nines' deep steel eyes were glassy while staring down at Connor & Connor could tell his brother was finding it difficult to focus properly, his words a little slurred & messy rather than how they usually sounded; articulate & nothing short of perfect. 

He was clearly struggling, at war with his mind & emotions. 

Connor couldn't help but draw the comparison that the way Nines was acting was similar to how an android would act if they were deviating. Confused, overwhelmed & for lack of a better word; lost.

"Brother, please. You can talk to him when you're sober. You're not thinking straight.” When that didn’t work, he snapped out, “Would you stop being selfish for 5 minutes & listen to me?!" 

Connor was beginning to get a little more restless with his brother's antics as he tried to break free from Connor's grip, mumbling something rather incoherently about needing to fix his mistakes before it's too late.

"Shut up, Nines, God, get over yourself, would you?! You're a stone cold asshole, we get it, they pushed you until you broke & now you don't feel a thing! But when those emotions creep their way up into your chest, you try to drown them in whiskey & scotch, it's pathetic! I'm sick of it, Nines, you can't just keep living this way, but you can talk to GV200 when you're sober!" 

It all came out before Connor could stop himself.

He knew he was beginning to raise his voice far past the whisper he had started with, but he was sick of seeing people he cared so deeply about sabotage anything good they could possibly have all because they decided to drink their problems away.

It seemed to be a running theme that both Nines & Hank possessed & if they didn't hate each other so much, Connor was sure they'd be drinking fucking buddies.

"Fuck you, _ Brother _ . You don't know shit about what they did to me! For the record, his name is, uh, his name is Gavin!" Nines' words were laced with venom, spitting them in Connor's direction with no care for how it could make his brother feel. 

But, Connor was used to Nines' lack of care when it came to his words. It wasn't like this was their first argument. This had just been the first they'd had in the middle of the precinct. Usually it was Connor who was trying to stop his brother & Hank from arguing.

Nines knew he was only making things worse but he couldn't help himself, he just wanted to find the android & apologise for being so careless with the way he had spoken about him back at the crime scene. 

He had managed to pull himself from Connor's grasp & even intoxicated, Nines would always be the stronger one if he put his back into it. He spun on his heels to head towards the narcotics sector of the precinct, trying to ignore the fact Connor was trailing behind him like a puppy. 

He may be too stubborn to listen to his older brother's advice but Connor was also too stubborn to allow his brother to fuck things up alone.

"Once I've said my peace, I'll leave, Con- Head’s pounding anyway. Just gottsa apol-" As jumbled as they were, at least he was still making sense. Or at least, that was until Nines cut his own sentence short as his eyes fell upon Whitman strolling back to his desk from the direction of the bathrooms, a smug look across his features, hair disheveled. 

GV200 was trailing behind but with a small distance between them as if it'd help the pair look less suspicious, not like it was working with the way the android's hands went from running along his jean buttons to be sure they were buttoned up properly to then smoothing out his shirt. 

A soft blue hue sitting along his left cheekbone, visible even through the red glow that cast across his features from his ever angry LED.

"You son of a bitch!" The words came out of Nines' mouth perfectly coherent despite the stench of alcohol trailing behind them, being shouted directly in Whitman's direction who didn't even bother to look up to see who had raised their voice.

"Nines, don't you da-"

Nines reacted faster than Connor could & lunged forward, throwing a solid, hard punch right to Whitman's jaw, rough enough to knock the man back, sending them both tumbling to the floor, knocking GV200 out of the way in the process. 

Nines pinned Whitman down by straddling his thighs, throwing another punch to the officer's nose, smirking as blood began to seep down his face, the sound of the bones crunching beneath his fist being music to his ears. 

Whitman seemed too shocked to react besides trashing beneath Nines' weight in an attempt to get him off as Nines leaned in close to whisper against Whitman's ear through the man's constant shouting.

"You lay a fuckin' hand on him again & I'll snap your god damn neck, you hear me?" Nines' words didn't come out as threatening as he'd hoped due to them being a little slurred together, but by the way Whitman tensed beneath him, he assumed the message had managed to sink in.

That was until Whitman managed to shift one of his legs enough to knee Nines harshly in the groin, dragging the intoxicated detective & himself up from the floor with a grip on Nines' jacket front before shoving him up against the wall, fist colliding with Nines' perfectly sculpted features.

A blunt, burning sensation began to crawl along Nines' jaw & cheekbone, but the punches that Whitman was throwing weren't enough to knock the smirk from his face as the detective managed to put his full force into throwing a punch to Whitman's gut, reveling in the way Whitman groaned out in pain.

He was ready to throw another but two strong hands on his elbows managed to pull him away, holding him back despite his protests.

"Detective! Nines. Fucking stop it!" Connor's voice was harsh & angry as he held his brother back in a vice tight grip, pulling Nines out of the way of Whitman who attempted to throw another punch at the detective.

"Hank! I need your help!”

Then, “ _ Hank!"  _ Connor sounded a little more desperate & pleading as he shouted the second time & within an instant, Lieutenant Anderson was on the scene, holding Whitman back from where he was trying to get to Nines with pure anger radiating from his body.

Whitman’s cheeks were flushed, vein on the side of his head pulsing with sweat dripping along his forehead. Open a dictionary to the word ‘rage’ & Nines had a feeling that this image right here would be what’d show. 

The complete opposite to what Nines looked like.

The detective hadn't broken a sweat despite the redness that flushed his left cheek from where Whitman's fist had repeatedly collided with his face, which was definitely going to form some bright purple bruises over the next few days. 

Little trophies of his efforts.

Nines' hair was still almost perfect despite a few stray strands falling along his head & even as he spat out the blood that was beginning to pool in his mouth, he didn't seem to care about anything that had just happened. 

Instead, his eyes were trained on the frightened android who was still on the floor from where he had been knocked down earlier, his hands braced on the floor behind him as if he was ready to push himself up but just hadn't managed to do it yet, wide eyes staring right at Nines.

"Get the fuck off of me! This detective tried to  _ kill _ me!" Whitman's voice was livid, blood splattering from his lips as he spoke from where it had run from his nose to his mouth as he thrashed in Anderson's grip, trying to break free as he continued to shout. "You're gonna lose your badge for this, asshole! Laying a hand on another officer? Bold move!" 

_ Jeez, no need for dramatics. _

"Bold move? Bold fucking move?!" Nines couldn't help the irritated laugh that escaped his throat, lacing itself into his words & if the jarring punches to his face hadn't sobered him up enough already, the anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach at Whitman's words was enough.

Nines escaped Connor's grasp, stalking over to Whitman, standing over him as Hank kept a firm grip on the officer as the detective spoke, quietening his voice this time around so it was back to its usual cold, daunting tone. "You're not one to talk about laying a hand on an officer now, are you?" Nines sighed before gripping Whitman's jaw to force the man to look up at him.

In a tone that all but screamed danger, Nines continued, “Don't think I won't ruin your career after this. Don't think I won't ruin your life if you even  _ think _ about touching Ga-GV200 again, do you understand me?" 

The silence from Whitman was enough of an answer yet Nines felt it wasn't good enough, shaking his head as he repeated, "I said, do you understand me, Officer?"

A small smirk was attempting to tug at the corners of Nines' lips as Whitman nodded, but he managed to keep his face stoic as he muttered out 'good' under his breath, tapping Whitman on the shoulder.

He then hurried to crouch in front of the android, blocking out Whitman's arguing as Hank dragged him out to likely speak with him in Fowler's office, something Nines would deal with tomorrow. As of right now, GV200 was his priority.

Nines glanced over his shoulder to Connor who was cleaning up the blood that Nines had spat out earlier, sighing before mumbling quietly, "Con, can you drive us back to my place?"

"Us?"

"Me & Gavin. I'm not letting him stay another second around Whitman without my eyes on him." Nines' voice was confident, possessive almost.

GV200 could sense it & could see the dangerously dark look in Nines' eyes, but he found himself unable to try to argue back, especially because he called him  _ Gavin.  _ Which meant Tina must have 'kicked his ass' as she had put it. 

He wanted to say he was fine & had to stay so he could work, but the thought of being alone with the probable blood thirsty detective was almost strangely comforting, in its own weird way. 

Besides, it couldn't be any worse than being alone with Whitman. He'd come to learn that the hard way on more than one occasion. Maybe Nines could help him get his hands on some of that bitter thirium he had been craving...

Connor nodded & had his keys at the ready as Nines helped the android to his feet, leading him to Connor's car, drawing in a sharp breath as the bitterly cold air hit his sensitive face like yet another punch. GV200 looked up at him with a concerned look washing across his features to which Nines allowed a sad smile to sit on his lips in response. A rarity. It almost felt foreign on his face.

After everything that the android had just seen, after everything the android had just been through with Whitman before Nines had thrown that first punch, after the cruel things he had said that he still hadn't apologised for, GV200 was still more concerned for  _ his  _ health.

Nines all but dragged the android into his apartment, slamming the door behind him as he leaned his back against it so he could take a moment to process what had gone on, a soft groan of discomfort escaping his lips at the pain in his face that was beginning to flare up a little more severe than it had earlier, mouth still tasting a little rusty. 

Jesus, did he really get punched that hard? He fluttered his eyes shut for a moment as he poked his tongue around his mouth to feel for where the blood was coming from, thankful yet surprised to find no teeth out of place, just a few sensitive gums.

The detective flinched in surprise as he felt something freezing being pressed against his face, eyes snapping open to reveal Gavin standing on his tippy-toes, holding a bag of frozen peas to Nines' left cheek. His eyebrows were furrowed, those deep green eyes flickering across Nines' features, scanning for any damages. His voice coming out raspy & barely above a whisper.

"Hairline fracture to your cheekbone, nothing that won't heal with a little TLC as the humans call it. You'll definitely bruise though but I'm sure you've been through worse."

Nines stayed frozen in place, pinned against the door by the caring android & under the hallway light, he could see Gavin's features perfectly, closer than he had ever seen them. The blue hue across his cheekbone was more prominent now, a bruise, maybe? If he could scar, what's stopping him from bruising? 

His LED was spinning calmly for once but stayed sitting on red & that scar across the bridge of his nose sat in a soft blue, a permanent reminder of his past, yet Nines felt it suited him. 

Oh, & those eyes, fuck, those eyes were something else entirely. A brilliant, deep emerald green. As if home to forests of lush trees & plants & showed so much care, Nines couldn't help but find himself getting lost within them.

The detective hadn't realised he had been staring until Gavin pressed the frozen peas a little harder against his cheek, causing him to wince, reaching a hand out to hold them there for himself instead with a faint smirk.

"Look, GV-Gavin, I know you told me to stay away and I was going to, I just had to apologise to you but then I saw you an-"

"It's fine."

"What?"

"I said, it's fine." The android offered the taller man a weak yet honest smile as he slowly took a step back after smelling the alcohol on Nines' breath, synthetically swallowing as he eyed the handle of the door that Nines was still pressed against.

Even with his head pounding, alcohol swimming in his stomach, Nines caught onto the android's demeanor & immediately took a step to the side, shaking his head & lowering his tone to speak as softly as his deep voice would allow.

"Oh fuck, no, Gavin, shit. You can leave if you want to, I mean, I'd rather you stayed but I won't force you to, I didn't mean to- What did he make you do, Gavin? Are you okay? Stupid question, I guess, I-" Nines cursed himself at his inability to form sentences properly & for his mouth speaking before his brain realised what it was saying. 

The air sat heavy around the pair & the android simply shrugged his shoulders before mumbling barely loud enough for Nines to hear through the pain bouncing around his skull.

"We can talk tomorrow, I think you need to sleep off tonight first, Detective. Maybe take a shower & brush your teeth." GV200 offered Nines a half smile as he began to relax ever so slightly at the thought of being allowed to leave if he chose to do so. 

Apparently, Nines was still mildly too intoxicated to bother putting up much of a protest, which was different to say the least considering he'd just put up a fight not only against Whitman but against Connor as he tried to pull him away. 

But, it meant that GV200 could lead the man to his bathroom, getting the shower turned on at what he assumed to be the perfect temperature, setting one of the fluffy towels from the cupboard onto the towel rack, turning to the detective.

"Do you need me to, uh, help? Or are you okay, Detective?" 

"What do you mea- Oh.  _ Oh! _ No, no, I'll be out in a few minutes. Make yourself at home while you wait. Oh, & please, call me Nines." Nines smiled sadly & ushered the android out of the bathroom so he could freshen up, his mind wandering back to earlier on & how he had seen the android adjusting the buttons on his jeans as if nothing had happened to him. acting as though there was nothing wrong with the way Whitman was using him. 

Taking anything Whitman throws at him. Hits, kicks, assault & cruel words thrown at him like he was merely a punching bag yet he still had enough compassion to offer to help Nines out. How was he the one trying to help Nines when Gavin was the one who needed saving?

GV200 obeyed Nines' comment & proceeded to wander around the detective's apartment, familiarising himself with the layout. Just in case. 

The apartment was fairly spacious & immaculately tidy, a big living area with an even bigger kitchen that had its own little breakfast bar. The rooms were colour coordinated with red furnishing, white walls. Everything was so aesthetically pleasing to look at. 

The android wandered into Nines' bedroom, scanning the area in the same way he had with the previous rooms. The red furnished colour scheme was just the same but rather than white walls, the bedroom had natural brickwork walls. 

Everything was clean & smelled so homely, like sandalwood & vanilla; unlike Whitman's home that smelled of nothing but alcohol, mold & stale cigarette smoke. Nines' home smelled... Safe.

The android flinched as Nines made his way into the bedroom with the towel wrapped tightly around his hips, hair all disheveled from being towel dried, skin glistening slightly from still being a little damp. 

Gavin gave the detective a once over, eyes lingering along his torso as he looked at the detective's well structured abs, one too many deep scars littering his otherwise perfect skin before diverting his gaze to look at the floor with a soft apology escaping his lips.

Nines chuckled & quickly shook his head, making his way to the dresser so he could get out a pair of tight black sweatpants along with a pair of flannel pajama bottoms that were once Connor's & a tight washed out military green tshirt that had _ 'SGT. NINES'  _ printed across the left chest. The detective stepped up to Gavin with a soft smile, holding out the flannel pajama bottoms & the green shirt.

"Let's get you into something more comfortable & something that dickhead hasn't tried to get you out of, hm?" Nines offered another one of sad smiles he was becoming familiar with.

He turned his back once the android had taken the clothes so he could pull on his own sweatpants in one swift movement, keeping his back turned to Gavin to give him a bit of privacy as he heard the rustling of clothes to indicate he was getting changed until he heard what could only be described as an irritated sound escape the android's throat.

Nines turned, unable to stop the smile that fought for a place on his lips at seeing Gavin wearing his old military shirt, appreciating the way its tightness brought out the beefiness of the android's biceps & abs. Well built was sort of an understatement. 

The flannel bottoms made the android look straight up fucking adorable as they were slightly too big for him despite being the smallest trousers Nines owned, but at the same time, being the culprit of the irritated sound that left his mouth. 

Gavin was trying to tie the drawstrings together to keep the flannels in place around his hips, getting rather frustrated at being unable to do so. 

Nines' eyes lingered on the android's wrists, one of them having more of that blue hue wrapped neatly around it, just like the one that sat on his cheek. Definitely bruising & by the looks of it, bruising from being handcuffed too tightly. 

What the hell had this android been through behind closed doors? He wanted so badly to find out solid facts but as he opened his mouth to ask, all that came out was; "Here, let me help you-" 

Nines crouched, swatting Gavin's hands away as he tied the drawstrings together with ease, flashing a genuine toothy smile up at Gavin who in turn, turned his head to the side as if to shy away, his cheeks flushing a soft blue hue. 

He was blushing. Fucking blushing.

Nines figured they'd both been through too much tonight to talk about what had gone on & he could ruin their moment with all of his burning questions tomorrow instead.

"C'mon. I think an early night is in order because my head is pounding & I'm going to need a good night's sleep so I can deal with Captain Fowler's wrath tomorrow. He is going to be  _ pissed."  _ With that, Nines headed towards his bed before pausing for a moment as a light bulb flicked on in his head, turning to face Gavin again who was shifting from foot to foot, fiddling with the drawstrings, all the while looking a little bit lost.

"Gavin, uhm, you sleep, right?" Nines laughed softly at how silly his sentence sounded out loud. He knew androids went into stasis when out of use but did Gavin sleep each night? He genuinely didn't know.

"You mean stasis?"

"Same thing then, huh? Yeah, stasis. You can go into stasis in my bed and, uh, I'll take the couch?"

Nines gave the small android a once over with his eyes, he couldn't help it. In clean pajamas rather than a grubby uniform, he just looked so, for lack of a better word, innocent. 

But clearly Gavin got the wrong idea & let out a synthetic sigh & a nod before stepping up to Nines, his hands finding their way to the waistband of Nines' sweatpants causing the human to freeze up in surprise.

It took Nines a moment to try to gather his thoughts before quickly shaking his head, hands reaching out to gently grip Gavin's wrists, being a little more gentle on the wrist that had the bruising, pushing his hands away with as little force as he could, but enough to show he was serious.

"What are you doi- Gavin,  _ no _ . No, no, I don't want that. I'd never-"

"You could. If you wanted to, I mean. I couldn't stop you.."

Nines had to swallow back the bile that was rising in his throat, only being amplified by the alcohol he had drank earlier, drawing in a few shaky breaths, shaking his head. He swallowed in the hopes it would keep the urge to throw up at bay, taking Gavin's hand & gently leading the android to the bed, helping him get snuggled up against all of the pillows.

He then draped the quilt over Gavin's torso; whether he needed it or not, Nines wanted to look after him. He deserved to have somebody show him an ounce of compassion.

"You listen to me now, okay? I will never, & I mean ever, expect  _ that _ from you, you hear me? No matter what happens between us, I don't want you to think you owe me anything. Now, get some rest. I'll be on the couch if you need me. Right down the hall."

Nines smiled when Gavin nodded in response, grabbing one of the spare blankets he had folded at the end of his bed, heading to the living room all the while leaving the bedroom door very slightly ajar, pausing as he heard Gavin mumble quietly, "Nines?"

"Yeah, Gav?"

"Thank you."

"Get some rest, okay?"

That was all Nines said before getting himself situated on the couch as comfortably as he could despite having to curl his long legs in an awkward position. But, as long as Gavin was comfortable & safe, that's all that mattered. 

That was the last thought to pass through the detective's mind before he drifted off into a deep sleep, ready to face the chaos that tomorrow would inevitably bring.


	8. History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GV200 finally gets to learn a little more about Nines but of course a moment of happiness couldn't last, could it?

Although opting to take the couch may have been an uncomfortable choice taking into account the length of Nines' legs, he was beginning to think it was the smart option anyway considering the couch was closer to the bathroom than his bed was & in that moment, he would take the dull ache in his legs than having to clean up vomit from the floor. 

Thankfully, he had made it to the bathroom in time to hunch himself over the toilet to throw up what was left of the alcohol that had been sitting in his stomach while he slept for a few hours. 

Checking the clock, the detective groaned to himself after seeing it was only 4:30 A.M, so much for a good night's sleep, huh?

After dry heaving a few times over, the Nines drew in deep breaths as he slowly stood so he could pour himself a glass of water before sitting back on the bathroom floor with his back against the wall beside the toilet.

He sipped the cold water & relaxed some as it helped cool down the burning sensation that the alcohol fused bile left behind in his throat & stomach. Although, it didn't help with the burning pain that was radiating from the whole left side of his face. 

His cheek felt as though somebody had smacked him in the face with a brick & as he reached his free hand up to trace his fingers across his cheek, he couldn't help the hiss of pain that escaped his lips. 

Yep, his face was pretty swollen. What the hell had happened?

With his head still pounding so much so that he was sure it physically hurt to fucking think.

Iit took Nines much longer than it should have for him to react to the sound of shuffling footsteps down the hall, getting closer to the bathroom with each passing second. His body tensed as he glanced around the dimly lit room, instinctively contemplating an escape plan incase of an attacker, the events of last night still being rather fuzzy in his mind. 

The detective was about to pull himself up from the floor but gave up the moment he looked up to see who was standing in his doorway, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe, blocking him in the bathroom. 

"Gavin." Nines breathed out, taking in the sight before him.  _ That's _ what had happened. The memories of what had gone on the evening prior came flooding back into his mind like a tidal wave. 

Shit. 

Captain Fowler was going to kill him. Not that those thoughts were exactly his priority however, with the view that stood before his eyes.

The android looked nothing short of adorably perfect with one hand rubbing at his eye tiredly, the other comfortably sat in the pocket of the flannel pajama bottoms he was wearing. He was leaning against the doorframe with one leg crossed behind the other, LED casting a warm red hue across his features, hair just as disheveled as it was the night before. 

God, he was stunning. Nines wondered if the android ever saw himself in the way that he saw him. He doubted it.

"Sergeant Nines." Gavin let out a very soft laugh, sounding completely out of place in comparison to his rough voice, saluting in the process before gesturing to the borrowed military shirt he was still wearing as Nines rolled his eyes. 

He then slowly made his way into the bathroom, rummaging through the cabinet to find some paracetamol, popping two of the pills into his hand before crouching in front of the detective, offering him the painkillers to which Nines took without hesitation. 

The pain in his cheek was making his attempts to smile hurt & in that moment, all he wanted to do was smile at the way the android before him looked so comfortable. So at home. There was no indication that he was afraid or dealing with any repercussions of what had happened to him & it left Nines wanting to savor the moment while he could because he knew he was about to sabotage everything. 

Apparently, he was good at doing that.

"So, military, huh? Is that where the name comes from, you promised to tell me back when we first met, do you remember?" 

"Uh, yeah, military. But, of course I remember, how could I forget a face like yours? I mean, c'mon, that scar is pretty prominent-"

Nines had meant it as a joke in a bad attempt to mask the first remark he had made but by the way GV200 ducked his head a little, clearly it was in poor taste.

"Hey, no, don't do that, c'mere.." Nines flashed a brief, sad smile as he tapped the floor beside him, ignoring the burning pain in his cheek as the android complied, sitting beside him on the bathroom floor. 

Not exactly the most convenient place to be having a conversation at four in the morning but he still wasn't sure if he was done puking his guts up or not. Better to be safe than sorry. GV200 didn't seem to mind though.

"I think the scar is perfect, it suits you, y'know?"

"Well, I'm not the only one with scars." The android gestured to Nines' shirtless torso, leaning barely an inch closer as he began to curiously inspect them, mumbling away to himself, "Gunshot, stab wound, shrapnel bomb, maybe, road rash, another gunshot… Uh, these ones I'm not too sure about though, rope burn...?" 

The scars that had the android stumped ran across Nines' ribs as if he had been tied down, faded enough to not be too noticeable unless under high scrutiny by somebody with perfect vision. Which, was clearly what was happening & Nines couldn't help the way he felt over exposed, as if he'd scare the android away with his past that he has never had to face. 

Until now.

"How did you-"

"I'm smarter than they think I am. I'm assuming I'm right? So, why the name then? I'm guessing Nines was a name they gave you & it officially stuck, I know that happens sometimes?" The android's voice was rough yet gentle all bundled into one, his eyes had flames of curiosity in them.

"Yeah, you sure you want to hear the story? It isn't pretty-" The detective fell quiet for a few moments as he thought about the best way he could explain how he got his name without making it sound too dramatic, glancing to the android beside him & when GV200 nodded, mentioning about how he didn't expect it to be pretty based off of the scars, he continued.

"Well, I guess I got nothing to lose in opening up a little, eh?”

Nines sighed, thinking for a moment to collect his words before recounting the story. “I was a special operative, y'know? Had to do some pretty bad shit that I've never told anybody, they don't deserve to have to try & comprehend how one human could get so much blood on their hands in the name of justice or whatever.” 

After a moment’s pause to glance to Gavin, the android nodded as if to coax him to continue.

“Anyway, it was my first night after about a year of intensive training; day in & day out, they would push your limits until you were sure there was no part of you left that could be broken. But they'd find a way. They'd find new, more creative ways to just, well, y'know, keep pushing until they were certain nothing was left. From the ashes of a broken spirit, that's how killers rise. Except, I was  _ their _ killer. They ordered, I obeyed." Nines paused for a moment to glance at Gavin who in turn, was leaning close, clearly listening intently to the story being told, a sad look in his eyes at the last sentence Nines had said. 

His LED sparked yellow for barely half a second, a blink & you miss it moment, but luckily, Nines didn't miss it.

They both looked at each other with more understanding than they had ever before. After a moment, Nines diverted his soulless gaze to stare down at his hands as he spoke. GV200 had never seen him so... Vulnerable.

"So, on my first night out of training, they ordered me to infiltrate what was supposed to be an almost empty building & take out a suspected terrorist. Silent, stealthy, nothing could go wrong. Except for the fact they didn't take into consideration that said suspect had some buddies over- Bomb building practice, I suppose." Nines chuckled darkly, his hand instinctively coming up to rub at his right side where the small cluster of scars that GV200 had pointed out were from a shrapnel bomb sat.

"So, I was wearing Kevlar but that didn't exactly help much. They knew I was there. Bomb went off, the blast threw me back and my whole right side was drenched with my own blood. It fucking hurt too, like nothing I had ever felt. But all I could think about was my training & what would happen if I didn't complete my mission. So I pulled my protective gear tighter around myself to help slow the bleeding & somehow, I guess with the help of adrenaline, I took out all nine of the fuckers that were in that building who all wanted me dead. After that, I woke up two weeks later & haven't been called anything else since."

There was a heavy silence in the air for a few moments, threatening to suffocate the detective before GV200 leaned in a little closer, keeping his voice as quiet as he could, "Holy shit… So, you don't mind being called Nines? Doesn't it remind you of back then?"

"I don't mind, it reminds me of who I am now. Not the same as who I was back then but it's still  _ my _ name."

The android nodded in understanding, leaning in closer to investigate the cluster of scars that were from the night Nines became, well, Nines. 

He reached a hand out, hesitating for a moment to look up at him & when the human nodded, face stoic, GV200 allowed his curious fingers to trace along the scars, his touch feather light & delicate, as if he was afraid that Nines would react negatively to the contact.

"I appreciate you telling me. You said you had never told anybody else? We all have bloodstains that we can't seem to wash off." Gavin offered the detective a sad, understanding smile before going back to looking at the cicatrices that littered the detective's otherwise perfect skin.

These have to be about 9 or 10 years old by my estimate? What about the rope burns? They're more recent, barely a few months old if I had to guess-" The android's gentle touch trailed along the scars along his ribs & the few that sat over his abs, seemingly lost for a few moments until Nines' quiet, emotionless voice snapped him out of his trance.

"You already said what happened, did you not? Is one story not enough for your inquisitive little self?" Nines glanced down to the android, his eyes colder than they were a few moments ago & suddenly GV200 felt as though he was treading on thin ice that could crack open & drown him in this very bathroom in seconds flat. 

Assuming that androids could drown. 

That ice seeping from Nines' bitterly cold gaze... He seemed almost, machine-like. There was something dangerous about that look. Everything inside the android was telling him to take a step back before he got himself hurt, he had seen that look before. Hazardous.

"I did, I mean, but that's not you telling me like you did with the story of your name. My estimates are just my processors flashing little boxes that block my vision, telling me the basics, not the full story. Not as interesting as hearing you tell me, I guess. I'm sorry for asking, it was none of my business anyway." GV200 pulled his hand back quickly as if he'd been burnt by Nines' skin, diverting his gaze as he slowly began to stand, only to be stopped by a firm hand gripping his wrist, fingers digging into the bruises which lay there, causing his red LED to go from spinning calmly to blinking rapidly, body tensing up immediately from the touch.

"Hey, I thought you wanted to hear what happened, no?"

"I, well, I did, uhm, Nines, that hurts-" Frozen in place, the android allowed his eyes to look down at the hand that was tightly gripping his wrist before flashing Nines that familiar frightened look that the human had hoped he'd never have to see again. The detective let his eyes fall to where his hand was wrapped around the android's wrist, his grasp immediately loosening but not completely letting go.

Nines let a few soft but genuine apologies roll from his tongue as he slowly stood himself up, investigating the bruising that sat around GV200's wrist as carefully as he could, standing in front of the android so he could get a better view of his face as he spoke.

"Is it my turn to ask questions now? What happened here... Or here?" As Nines spoke the last part of his sentence, he traced his fingers along the blue hue of a bruise that sat across the android's cheek, other hand still holding GV200's wrist loosely. The android synthetically swallowed as the walls surrounding him began to feel as though they were closing in. Trapped. He felt trapped.

"Uh, I, It's nothing. Some suspect got a bit rowdy, that's all. It happens. I'm built to take a punch, Detective, you don't have to worry." The way the words left the android's mouth, as if he'd had to repeat them more than once, was beginning to piss Nines off; hearing GV200 use that quiet tone that sounded like he was reading from a script.

"Oh really? So, a suspect handcuffed you then? You say you're smarter than they think you are yet here you are trying to tell me that these aren't the bruises of somebody who tried to escape too tight handcuffs? What happened? Tell me the truth. Now. You want my help? I need to know how you ended up with bruising like this, Gavin. This is serious." Nines held up GV200's wrist in front of his face, his voice stern, eyes cold. Just like how he looked when he was in the middle of an interrogation. The look he had right before he'd snap. 

The android could see it, he could see the way the human was using the only skills he had in trying to get answers, that's just who he was, but it was frightening nonetheless when there wasn't a one way mirror protecting him from the human.

"I, uhm, well, he uh- Detective, please-" GV200 looked up at Nines with a pleading look in his eyes, tripping over his words worse than he ever had before as he yanked his wrist free from Nines scrutiny. He then took a step back until his back was pressed against the door, hand finding its way onto the handle, gripping it tightly as if he were ready to flee at any moment. 

"I can't help if you don't tell me, Gavin, you know that, correct?" Nines sighed quietly as he eyed the android's rapidly blinking LED, deciding this was not the way he was going to be getting answers.

"Fuck it, I don't think I'll be getting anymore sleep so let’s get changed & have a stupidly early breakfast or something. I need to get my car keys back from Jimmy anyway. We can do that then head into work." The detective's tone was still emotionless as he gently placed his hand over Gavin's that was on the door handle, sighing once more as the android tensed but turned the handle anyway so he could get out of the bathroom.

He made his way to his bedroom so he could get changed, it taking a few moments before GV200 followed behind.

Nines figured he'd take a new approach. If being upfront wasn't going to work, he was going to subtly slide in his curiosities as they got on with their day, maybe if he opened up to more of GV200's questions about his other scars, maybe the android would be more willing to do the same. Long shot, but it was the only one he had.

As the detective got together his clothes for the day, he glanced over to the android who was standing opposite him with the bed between them, pulling off the borrowed shirt so he could change back into the clothes he had worn the day before.

He did so, he revealed more blue hues of bruising along his hip-bones in the shape of fingerprints & a ring of faint bruising around where his thirium pump sat in his chest, something Nines hadn't noticed until now due to having his back turned to the android when he was changing the night before. 

He couldn't help but wonder if there were more bruises littered along the parts of the android that were still covered. The thought made him want to throw up all over again. The man dropped his pile of clean clothes onto the bed, about to make his way around to GV200 but stopped himself when the android looked up at him, fiddling with the shirt between his hands nervously as Nines stared at his bare torso.

It wasn't fair. As far as Nines was concerned, Gavin had done nothing to deserve the way he was being treated by not only Whitman but the other officers around the precinct who were doing nothing to help stop the clear assault that was going on right before their eyes. 

The android had immediately jumped to helping Nines feel better, showing his concern & curiosities despite being so clearly afraid of getting into trouble for trying to be kind.

What made matters worse was Nines felt guilty. 

Guilty for many things, but mostly for finding Gavin so attractive. 

He was just his type. If he were to have a type. Shorter than he was but buff enough to put up a fair fight if it came to it. Deep voice, poor humour, looking as though he's ready to bite back if only he were brave enough to do so. 

Curious & kind despite the rough exterior. Facial hair, scars, a walking travesty but fuck, he was the prettiest little thing Nines had seen in a very long time. 

In a perfect world, GV200 wouldn't have such a negative past hovering around him like poisonous snakes, ready to bite whoever came near but then again, maybe he was just like Nines in that way. 

The detective was still staring at GV200's torso who in turn, was still idly standing there, staring back at Nines with his LED spinning rapidly. Never leaving red. It had only been barely a few seconds, but his thoughts were interrupted by the android's rough yet quiet voice cutting through the silence.

"Dete-Nines? Would you like something?" GV200 looked down at himself to see what the detective was staring at, letting out a soft 'oh' as he saw the bruising along his body, quickly grabbing the shirt he was wearing the previous day to cover himself up, only to have Nines quickly shake his head, speaking up as he turned to his wardrobe.

"No, no, I was just admiring the view, that's all. C'mon, you're borrowing some of my clothes. Something that's actually clean & presentable." It took a few moments of Nines rummaging around his wardrobe until he found what he was looking for. 

He pulled the clothes out, making his way over to the shirtless android, handing him the small pile of clothes as he spoke softly, "I'll get you in an official android detective uniform soon enough but for now, these will have to do."

"Uh, Nines, but I'm not a detective like you-"

"Not yet you're not." With that, Nines flashed the android a cheeky grin along with a wink before making his way back to the other side of the bed so he could get himself changed into a pair of tight black dress pants along with a white button down shirt, perfectly rolling the sleeves to the elbows.

He then tied a thin black tie around his neck, leaving the top button on the collar unbuttoned though. From there, he styled his hair the best he could before looking over at the android, unable to stop the smile from tugging at the edges of his mouth. 

GV200 stood in place, now wearing almost-black jeans that fit rather well considering the height difference, he could just tuck the bottoms into his boots & nobody would be able to tell. He was also wearing a navy green, tight, long sleeved v-neck shirt that helped to define all of Nines' favourite parts of the android. Not that he'd be saying that out loud however. 

The detective nodded in satisfaction before raising a finger to tell the android to wait there, going back to his wardrobe once more to grab one last article of clothing.

"Here. You can keep this if you promise to look after it." Nines held out a faded, maroon leather jacket that had a soft cotton hood with cotton detailing around the biceps, helping the android pull his arms into the sleeves, brushing out the creases as he pulled the jacket neatly around Gavin, taking a step back to admire the view as he breathed out, "perfect" through the content sigh that escaped his lips.

There was that soft blue blush again, creeping along the android's cheeks at Nines' comments. In that moment, Nines decided that even if he never got answers as to what has gone on, even if he never got to place his hands on every spot that Whitman had, but with nothing but love & kindness instead, even if he never got to mark up the android for himself to show him he can be bruised in a good way, he would still make it his mission to see that cute little blush paint across Gavin's cheeks as often as he could.

After getting themselves ready, the pair sat in Nines' kitchen while the human ate some breakfast, then retrieved his car keys from Jimmy, driving to the precinct together in a comfortable silence. 

Once at the precinct, the first thing Nines heard as he & GV200 walked through the bullpen was 'Detective Allen! My office.  _ Now!' _ The detective cringed at the name, Fowler only ever used Nines' & Connor's last name when referring to Connor. Nines was just, well, Nines. Unless the captain really was pissed, which, in this case, Nines supposed he had it a long time coming. 

He had gotten away with his fair share of shady shit, yet somehow punching a rapist in the face was off the table? Ridiculous. 

Nines rolled his eyes in clear annoyance, walking up to Connor's desk, only to be greeted with Connor muttering, "You two dress up well considering you both look like hell. Captain is pissed but I vouched for you."

The detective nodded, he appreciated his brother's loyalty, even if he was clearly mad at him still. Nines spoke in that familiar cold tone he always used with his brother but he did at least try to make it sound a little more polite than usual. "Would you keep an eye on GV for me while I go talk with the Captain? I don't want his prick of a partner dragging him away while he's out of my sight."

"Why don't you take your fuckin' sex bot with you, huh? Stop dumping your problems on Connor, especially after the stunt you pulled yesterday!" Hank had chimed in from his desk before Connor had the chance to agree & this was a new record for just how fast Nines could lose his shit. 

Within seconds, the detective was looming over his lieutenant, one hand balled into a fist, the other gripping the front of Hank's coat.

"Watch your fucking mouth, Lieutenant or you'll lose your goddamn tongue, do not test me." That dark look flared itself in Nines' eyes, the bruising along his cheek only helping the man look more dangerous. His voice was scarily calm but everyone could tell there was no way what he said was merely an empty threat. 

Nines could & would do such a thing if someone pushed him too far. Apparently, when it came to GV200, that's where his violent side showed its face.

A gentle touch to Nines’ balled fist was what drew him back, GV200 looking up at him with those beautifully sad, pleading eyes, his voice coming out barely above a whisper, "Nines, forget about it. It's okay-"

"No! Fuck no, it's not okay, Gav & you know it!"

"Nines, not here, please-" The android sounded almost desperate as he looked between the two detectives & their lieutenant. Anderson was clearly curious on why his comment had caused such a reaction, Connor on the other hand just wanted everybody to stop arguing for once. 

"Not here? Why not, this is the perfect place, is it not? We're the fucking police, Gavin! We're supposed to be helping people in your situation! You realise what's happening is wrong, right?"

"Wait, what situation, what the hell is going on? It has a name? Nines would ya calm ya fucking ass for two seconds?" Anderson's voice was brash & rude, something Nines wouldn't usually allow to crawl under his skin but in that moment, he just wanted to protect GV200 the best he could. 

Although, he was beginning to realise losing his temper & shouting about the issue so the whole precinct could hear was probably not one of his finest moments.

"Forget it, Anderson. But if you dare call him anything other than his name, if you dare refer to  _ any  _ android as a 'sex bot' again, I'll do more than cut your tongue out & feed it to your dog, you hear me? Fuck off & mind your own business." Nines shook his head as he spoke, glancing between the frightened android & his brother before stalking into Captain Fowler's fishbowl of an office, slamming the door behind himself in the process.

Nines realised that he may have pushed things too far this time, allowing his temper to get the better of him once again. 

Burning bridges seemed to be an unhealthy habit of his, but it sure did keep him warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to 'MY_NAME_IS_CONNOR' for inspiring me to keep up with writing even when I feel like I'm not doing good enough.


	9. Relapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines is fighting with Fowler over the safety of the android that has somehow managed to wriggle into his stone cold heart all the while GV200 is fighting with his own mind as he suffers the repercussions of the four days he was stuck with Whitman before Nines threw that punch.

"-It's fucking sexual assault, Jeffrey!" Nines' tone was stern if not slightly dangerous. He was now sitting on the edge of his chair in the captain's office with his hands flat on Fowler's desk, leaning forward as if that would somehow help to get his point across. 

Nines was grateful in the moment that the glass room was soundproof considering the pair had been arguing back & forth for about half an hour at this point & he didn't want the rest of the precinct hearing about what was happening with GV200. He wasn't about to let any other officer use GV200 like he was merely a Traci in the Eden Club.

"You have to be joking, Detective?" 

"Do I look like I have a sense of humour, Captain? Do I look like I'm fucking joking? Have I  _ ever _ come to you with an issue before? No. Should that not be enough to show that I'm being serious?" Nines was surprising himself with just how well he was managing to keep his temper under control. 

For years, he always managed to stay completely stoic no matter what was thrown his way, but since meeting GV200, his ability to keep his temper at bay seemed to be depleting with each passing day. He just wanted to keep the android safe. 

Who knew one troubled little robot could wriggle its way into Nines' stone cold heart, chiseling away at the protective walls he put up around himself.

"Detective, it isn't- You can't just say-" Fowler seemed to be having trouble with trying to find the right words as to not irritate the scarily composed man in front of him any further. But he just couldn't see what point the detective was trying to argue. "-It's just equipment, Nines! An asset. Like the terminals on your desk or the goddamn printer! You cannot go around calling it sexual assault. Misconduct at best if there have been any damages caused to DPD property-"

Clearly, they were not the correct words to say.

"DPD property?!  _ DPD PROPERTY? _ Are you fucking serious? You know what, Fowler? Fuck this." The detective shook his head as he spoke, standing himself up while pulling his gun from its holster along with his badge from its place on his belt, placing them firmly down on Captain Fowler's desk.

"Detective, what the hell do you thi-"

"I'm done, Captain. I'm through. I'm not working in a place that's supposed to help people when your cops are corrupt, Jeffrey. Myself included & I'm aware of it but nothing to this extent & quite frankly, it's fucking disgusting. If this place isn't safe for him then I refuse to work here." The detective knew that swearing every other sentence wasn't exactly going to help his case but it was the only thing keeping him from punching his captain square in the jaw. 

He made his way to the door of the glass room, ready to simply leave, grab Gavin by the wrist & never look back. They would figure it out, find work in a new precinct. Adapt. Together.

Well, that was the plan until Captain Fowler's voice cut through those thoughts, causing the detective to freeze in place, hand on the door handle still, as if someone had pressed the pause button on the remote that was controlling the damn drama show known as their lives.

_ "Richard." _

A cold shiver prickled along Nines' spine at the same time as his blood began to boil, the polar opposites at war with one another inside of him, threatening to cause a hurricane of emotions to spill out. 

The detective turned on his heels with his teeth grit so tightly, it was a surprise that he didn't hear the sound of his own fucking teeth cracking beneath the pressure. 

Shooting his captain the biggest glower of disdain he could possibly muster, Nines' words came through his clenched teeth with a harsh bite to them, his tone dangerous. "Don't you ever fucking call me that, Fowler.  _ Ever. _ "

Nines' grip tightened around the door handle a considerable amount as he spat his words out & he was sure that if he were an android, the handle would have crumpled beneath his grip with no problem.

"How the hell else was I supposed to stop you from walking out on me, again? Look, Nines, you're the best damn detective this precinct has ever seen. Don't think I don't know what goes on in my interrogation rooms, I'm not blind, nor am I stupid. Well, maybe I am for keeping your insubordinate ass around. I should let you leave right now, but as I said, you're my best detective. Not to mention your brother vouches for you like nobody's business. You've solved every case thrown your way without ever needing assistance-"

"Well, I'm asking for assistance now, Captain. I'm asking for your fucking help for once!" It looked as though Nines was going to continue speaking, but cut himself off as he disappeared off into deep thought for a few moments before snapping back into reality, looking out of the glass window to glance to where Gavin was standing beside Connor's desk then back to Fowler as he continued his sentence but this time, much more calm.

"I want him to be my partner."

"You- What? You want a partner?"

"No. I want  _ him _ to be my partner. GV200. Move him to homicide."

There was a brief moment of silence as Fowler eyed the tall, demanding detective that stood before him as if to see if the man was joking but then he remembered what Nines had said a few moments prior about lacking a sense of humour.

He sighed tiredly before speaking up once more, "Nines, you know I can't just do something like that. That takes academy training, a GED or diploma, years of experience, you know the drill, I don't have to explain this to you above all people. It's not possible, especially because it's a machi-"

"What, Fowler?  _ What? _ Because he bleeds blue, he isn't good enough?" Nines shot another glare to his captain as he made his way towards the desk one more, leaning his weight on his hands that were back planted firmly on Fowler's desk. 

Fowler went to speak, but Nines cut him off, "The kid is smart as hell! He's proved that to me on more than one occasion, Fowler, he can figure things out that no human could have known just from a glance. He's smarter than you think he is! Let me try. We'll work one the hardest fucking cases that hasn't been solved yet. If he can prove to you how well he'd work as a detective outside of the narcotics unit, would you consider it? It's that or you keep my badge & lose us both." Nines nodded as he stood himself back up straight, brushing the creases out of his shirt, eyes never leaving Fowler's.

"You do realise that you're blackmailing a police captain, correct?"

"Correct, Sir. I'm well aware."

_ "You're going to drink it & you're going to drink every last drop, Bolts. Remember what I said about you being our little test subject? Fucking drink the blue juice or you'll regret it. Was the last time you refused not enough of a lesson for you to fucking obey like the good little robot you know you should be? Is being handcuffed down not enough? I don't care if you don't like it, you don't have anything to lose! There. That's better. Now, you can stay there, not like you have a choice, but you can stay there until you want more. Which, if this formula is correct, you'll want more & more until it kills you. Or at least, that's the plan, Bolts." _

GV200 wasn't too sure how long he had been standing beside Connor's desk, eyes trained on Nines through the glass of Fowler's office. 

Originally, he had been trying to construct in his mind what Nines & the captain had been arguing about, but then he somehow got lost in his own thoughts. Clearly, it had been a while though by the way Connor's voice, despite being soft, made him physically jolt out of his mind space.

"You can sit down, y’know? You don't have to just stand there, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot- He'll be out soon, I'm sure. He's just stubborn."

The android glanced to Connor as he nodded, sitting himself down in the spare chair at the side of Connor's desk. He didn't want to just assume it was okay, what if these detectives were anything like the officers in his unit? 

He was too tired to put up with anybody shouting at him today. His body felt too heavy & weirdly enough, his head hurt. Which was a disconcerting feeling considering he actually managed to have about 4 hours in stasis thanks to Nines allowing him to do so. He should be feeling fine.

GV200 looked down at his hands as he began to fiddle with his fingers as if somehow that would help with how his body was feeling, quietly running self diagnostics on himself, trying to figure out why he felt hot & cold all at once, why his head felt as though it was filled with cotton wool, why his thirium pump seemed to be working in overtime, why his memory banks felt the need to play the same memories of the past four days on repeat. Yet, his diagnostics all came back clean. Strange. 

"So, GV? Did you spend the night at Nines' place? Are you okay? Was he okay? Y'know, after being punched & what not-" Connor smiled softly at Gavin despite the android keeping his head down, eyes on his hands, trying to make conversation considering he would never get answers from his brother if he were to ask about anything outside of work. Maybe GV200 would be more willing to be talkative. 

"He's fine, Detective." The android nodded, glancing up to Connor for a moment, LED spiraling calmly but still sitting on red. "He just wanted to sleep the day off, I think."

"I can imagine anyone would be the same. I wanted to apologise, for the things he said back at the crime scene a while ago, you know he didn't mean them, right?" Connor kept his eyes on the android, glancing to the spinning red LED every so often as if expecting it to change. It never did.

"No apologies necessary, I know he didn't mean it. He's already made up for it." Gavin pulled the jacket sleeves over his hands, the tiniest smile toying at the corners of his lips as he thought back to when Nines had said he could keep the jacket as long as he looked after it. Maybe that moment meant nothing to Nines, but to Gavin, it meant everything.

Connor nodded, a genuine smile crossing his face as he carefully watched the android's actions. Just the idea of his brother having somebody to care for, somebody to look out for him, was enough to have Connor feeling giddy. 

Nines was beginning to worry him with how reclusive he was becoming. Hell, Connor hadn't even been in his brother's apartment since he moved there a few years back yet Nines had allowed Gavin to stay the night? That was progress.

"Are  _ you _ doing okay, GV? You never did answer-" Connor watched the LED spin that little bit quicker on the android's head, sighing softly to himself as GV200 pulled a few strands of hair down to hide it as he sensed him looking at it. 

Connor never did get his answer however, instead, GV200 jolted up from where he was sitting in the chair, glancing between Fowler's office & Connor before mumbling quietly, "I have some files I have to pick up to organize. I'll be right back." He nodded as he spoke as he usually did when telling a lie, but before Connor had the chance to say anything on the matter, the android had already swiftly disappeared from view, leaving Connor to look at Hank with a worried look washing across his puppy like features. 

Making his way through to where Whitman's desk would be situated, GV200 was abruptly pulled off of balance by his partner grabbing him by the shoulder, dragging him out of the fire escape doors & around the back of the precinct parking lot despite the pouring rain.

The man was looking rather ridiculous with bandages taped over his nose, but the android could see the pure rage in Whitman's eyes as he was pinned against the wall by a hand on his throat, causing the android's feet to hover just barely above the floor, a punch being thrown right to his nose before Whitman had even bothered to speak first. 

Violence first, talking after? Seemed a little unhealthy but it wasn't like it was anything he wasn't used to. 

Although, GV200 did curse himself for being a lightweight model that could so easily be maneuvered, but in that moment, he was grateful that breathing wasn't exactly a necessity. Just a way of keeping his internals cool.

"You got alotta fuckin' nerve showing up here after what that prick did to my face! What the fuck did you tell him, huh?" Whitman shoved Gavin impossibly harder against the wall by his throat & the android could feel the way his chassis was threatening to crack beneath such a strong grip, thirium dripping from his nose onto Whitman's hand from the punch that had been thrown. 

"He best not know about the drug we're working on, Tin Can. Or about how much of a beg you can be for someone to dick you down." Whitman smirked as he spat his words out with such cruelty. 

GV200 just didn't understand how Whitman could twist the situation so easily to work in his own favour. It didn't make sense. He never asked for any of this. He just wanted to do his job, he wanted to be a good officer, to help people. That's all.

"I- Whitman, I didn't-" GV200's words were being wheezed out & he cursed himself for sounding so pathetic, but with a hand closing around his throat, it was practically impossible to get his vocal module to work in his favour. Not that Whitman cared, however. Nor would he listen to what GV200 had to say anyway.

"You didn't, what, huh? Tell him anything? Because you remember what happens if anybody finds out about us, dontcha? What was that bitch's name again-"

"T-Tina. Yes, I remember." GV200 spat his words out the best he could with as much courage as he could muster, instantly going into a protective mode as he thought about the time he had attempted to open up to Tina about seeing Whitman act sketchy around evidence. 

Whitman had got so angry he nearly killed her in pure, blind rage but Gavin got in the way. 

After two days in a Cyberlife repair unit, all he came out with as proof on the matter was a scar on his nose, but at least Tina was alive. Not that he ever got to see her anymore though due to her being transferred to a new unit. 

Nobody believed anything had happened, of course, because everybody loved Whitman; yet another thing that the android couldn't quite understand.

"That's what I thought. Now, what does the hero detective know, Bolts? Don't you go lying to me now, yeah?" Whitman leaned in closer to mutter his words out against Gavin's ear as he threw a firm punch to his sternum over his regulator, causing the android to attempt to gasp in surprise, only for that air to never quite make it to his cooling processors with Whitman's other hand still firmly wrapped around his throat.

A soft pained sound managed to escape the android's throat though as his hands came up to wrap around Whitman's wrist, digging his nails in hard enough to leave little bleeding crescent shapes along Whitman's arm. 

Beginning to panic as he thought about Nines being hurt all because he was trying to keep him safe. He didn't care what happened to himself, he never did. Nobody would care if something happened to him. He was expendable. But Nines had a brother. 

Nines bled red. That made him important.

"Nothing, Whitman. He doesn't-" GV200 dug his nails in even harder, his eyes darting around to scan the area for anything that could help. Nothing. Obviously. His view being obstructed by the error messages warning him of his esophagus being crushed. 

Thankfully, his nails leaving little cuts along Whitman's wrist was enough for the man to completely let go, causing Gavin to fall to the wet floor, crumpling onto his knees as he sucked in as much air as his processors would allow him to try to keep himself calm, wheezing out the last part of his sentence in a static laced raspy voice. "He doesn't know anything. I swear."

"Better fucking not." Whitman smirked as he booted Gavin in his metal ribs, laughing as the android let out a pained, static filled whimper, trying to scrabble into a better position on the floor, only managing to sit himself against the wall he was just being pinned against, one arm coming to wrap around his ribs as he looked up at Whitman with those familiar, desperate, pleading eyes, thirium running from his nose, dripping down onto the shirt he was wearing as his voice came out all scratchy.

"He doesn't. But, I need-" 

Whitman looked as though he was about to walk away, pulling his coat sleeves over his hands to cover any traces of the blood seeping from the wounds Gavin had left, wiping the thirium that was on his hand on the inner part of his jacket. But he stopped as the android spoke, a smug look toying at the corners of his mouth as he muttered, "You need what, huh? Spit it out, I don't got all day."

GV200 attempted to clear his throat as if somehow that would in turn, clear some of the static from his voice. It didn't, of course, his voice coming out barely above a whisper. 

"I need the thirium, Whitman, please-" The android shifted his legs a little from where he was sitting on the wet, cold floor, one arm still hugging himself but his other hand picking at his own fingers, finding himself unable to stop fidgeting when he wasn't focusing on something else. 

"I told you, didn't I? I knew you'd come running back for more. No asshole detective can keep you from me, you're like a lost puppy who knows where its loyalties are, always coming back for more." Whitman laughed as he shoved a hand into one of the inner coat pockets, pulling out a small vial filled with a deep blue liquid, darker than what thirium would usually look like, throwing it into Gavin's lap.

As he began to walk away, he called over his shoulder, "If I find out Detective Prick knows anything, he's a dead man, Bolts. Don't you go forgetting that now or you'll wake up in a car compactor right beside him." 

With that, Whitman made his way back into the precinct, leaving Gavin slumped against the wall in the pouring rain, in pain, alone & bleeding. Not like he wasn't used to it but it was starting to get old; bleeding on his clean clothes. Unable to use his own voice. Unable to fight back.

The android let out a synthetic sigh that was laced with a whimper as a burning sensation clawed at his throat with even the tiniest movement of his vocal chords. More error boxes clouded his vision, reminding him that these were just more repairs that were going to need technical attention. 

A half crushed windpipe wasn't going to be simply fixed with stasis, but it wasn't like he could just go to a technician without giving an explanation. He couldn't go to Cyberlife. They would shut him down. He didn't want to be shut down, he just wanted to live. He just wanted to do his job.

Gavin could feel his chest getting tighter as his internal processors began to heat up again in the same way they had back at the interrogation rooms with Nines. It felt as though Whitman's hand was still tightening around his jugular, making it impossible to draw in a single steady breath, his thirium pump cycling quicker in his chest. 

He was  _ afraid _ .

The android looked down into his lap, fiddling with the vial of tainted thirium in his hands as he thought about the amount of times he had been forced to ingest the stuff while stuck, handcuffed to a reinforced pipe in a place he didn't recognise. 

All he knew was that Whitman would show up every morning & every evening, force him to run a self diagnostic after taking the tainted thirium as a stranger beside him noted down everything he said. 

If he refused to drink the thirium, Whitman would pull his thirium pump out, inject the drug into it before putting it back into place, but not before acting as though he was never going to put it back, reveling in the way the android quietly whimpered out desperate pleads to have his heart back. 

That was terrifying to say the least, so Gavin had accepted drinking the tainted thirium instead.

No matter how hard he tried to escape, he wasn't strong enough. It wasn't like he hadn't struggled, he had the bruising on his wrist as proof. He was built to be able to escape such situations but the 'Blue Juice' as Whitman called it was making him weaker with each passing day, he could feel it, yet he craved more to help ease the pain & escape the memories. 

All he kept thinking was that he was grateful he hadn't had any more forced shutdowns recently, unlike those androids at the crime scene; he had somehow managed to scrape by. 

Sometimes, he thought about how maybe a shutdown may be better than existing another day, but then his memory processors would flood with all of the images he had of him & Nines together & part of him would want to keep on going.

He had taken enough of the drug that if it were the same formula that those androids at the crime scene had taken, he would have been dead multiple times over, but Whitman did say the formula was different. 

More addictive, less lethal. Sort of. 

This formula was worse. It wouldn't shut an android down right away, no. It would get them hooked. They would feel weak & sick without it until they relied on it getting them through the day. All the while it was slowly but surely shutting down their processors, bit by bit until they no longer functioned.

Then, after a few days of being stuck in the unknown building, Whitman let him go & they proceeded to go into work together like nothing had happened. 

It wasn't like he could speak up either. What would happen? Exactly what he was so fucking afraid of. Cyberlife would shut him down. A no good, outdated prototype that had been corrupted by a drug that nobody even knew existed yet besides the few officers that saw the dead androids at the crime scene.

GV200 was the test subject for a new drug that could potentially wipe out the android species yet here he was, slumped against a wall in the pouring rain, replacing the thirium he was missing with a tainted thirium that would kill him if he wasn't careful, but at least it would take away his pain, even if it was only for a little while.


	10. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin finds a reason to hold on for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out same-side on tumblr if you haven't already bc she is my reason for being so obsessed with Android!Gavin !! (Even if she has only done a few Android!Gavin pieces-)

Many people would say being an android had its perks; ability to take damage without many negative repercussions, never needing to eat or drink besides the odd thirium top up here & there, strength & agility that humans could only dream of. 

Yet, GV200 found himself often wishing he were human.

If he were a human, none of this would have ever happened. All of the bad in his life seemed to have stemmed from him bleeding blue rather than red. 

If he were human, maybe Whitman would show him an ounce of respect like he did with the other officers in the precinct. If he were human, maybe Whitman wouldn't use him for sex because if he were human, he would have rights. He could speak up if it were to happen & get his partner fired. If he were human, maybe Whitman wouldn't use him as a cover up when evidence mysteriously goes missing from their drug busts.

But no, android lives did not matter, they were expendable. Replaceable. They didn't feel the disgusting things that were happening to them, they didn't feel pain or emotional hurt. No, they didn't feel at all. Or at least, that's what everybody who ever interacted with Gavin seemed to believe.

If he were a human, the freezing Detroit air probably would have given him hypothermia by this point & he could have drifted not so peacefully off to sleep & never wake up but he wasn't so lucky, no. 

This damn android body of his was built to take a beating & keep on going even if that did involve a few forced shutdowns, forced stasis' & the odd technical repair. But, he was tired. So tired. The tainted thirium took that feeling away. It made his overworked computer brain stay quiet for at least 6 hours.

A few hours had passed the android by as he drifted in & out of a comfortable stasis thanks to the tainted thirium, still slouched on the floor behind the precinct, but leaning against a dumpster more than the wall & he couldn't help but crack jokes to himself about how it looked as though he had been thrown out in the trash. 

Maybe that's exactly what had happened & as the rain slowly fell & froze into tiny snowflakes, the android pulled the hood of the jacket Nines had given him over his head, beginning to drift off once more.

He didn't get to rest for long however, being interrupted by the feeling of something touching his boot. Instinctively, the android flinched back as he fluttered his eyes open, vision being almost completely blocked by the bombardment of error box after error box littering his HUD, but he managed to push them aside just long enough to see where the touch had come from. 

Before his eyes sat a very tiny, grey kitten, desperate for some form of shelter from the freezing temperatures & the flurries of snow that were painting the city in a beautiful shade of glittering white.

His scan of the animal told him it was 6 months old exactly & if it didn't get somewhere warm & some food soon, it wouldn't last the rest of the day, let alone through the night. 

Gavin reacted quicker than he realised possible despite his legs being too heavy to move properly - a side effect of repeated use of the tainted thirium, apparently. Mild loss of motor functions until the drug was out of his system. 

He managed to lean forward, reaching his hands out to scoop up the freezing, soggy kitten, immediately tucking it into his jacket, holding it delicately against his chest as it let out soft meows that were likely inaudible to human ears but having supreme android hearing was a bonus of this tragic android body, he supposed. 

Knowing full & well that it would use the last of his energy & would likely cause the android to go into a forced stasis, Gavin used his self heating protocols to warm his chest up, the tiniest smile gracing his features as he felt the tiny grey kitten nuzzle up to his chest, getting itself comfortable against the welcoming warmth.

Gavin wrapped his coat tighter around the tiny creature, holding it as close to his chest as he could as he warmed his new fuzzy friend up. In that moment, he didn't care about the warning boxes popping up in his vision, reminding him of his impending doom; he was just content with being able to help. 

He just wanted to help, to be good, to do his job.

There was a long silence as the kitten began to relax into the warmth of Gavin's chest, purring too quietly for him to hear, but the vibrations from the kitten were a comfort to his overworked thirium pump regulator. In turn, the android found his ever tense body relaxing a small amount. 

He felt, almost, calm?

"You got left out in the cold too, huh? Don't worry, I'll keep you safe for a few hours, yeah, I'll keep you sa-" Gavin's static laced words seemed to trail off into the abyss, never to be finished as the overwhelming sensation of fatigue flowed through his wires & workings, causing the android's eyes to shut, freeing him from the continuous stream of error boxes that plagued his very existence as he drifted off into stasis, holding the kitten against his warm chest that was using the very last of his energy storage.

"-cking hell, put your back into it, c'mon, help me out, he isn't that heavy!"

"I'm trying! Calm down, would you?"

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down, look at him!"

The banter between two concerned voices filling GV200's audio processors along with hands gripping at his biceps to pull him into a standing position was enough to wrench the android from the stasis he didn't seem to have a choice in going into. 

Panic set into his metal bones at being manhandled, trying his best to thrash out of the strong sets of hands that were holding him up right. The android's vision was still mildly blurry, anything he could see being completely obstructed by the endless flow of error boxes reminding him of all the things that stasis couldn't fix no matter how long he was in it for. 

Side effects of the tainted thirium? Every processor deciding to go haywire after waking up from the sleep-like state it put him into each time he took the stuff.

Audio processors would be fuzzy so voices would be unrecognisable, vision would be a little blurry, limbs would be too heavy to move on his own accord, as if his legs were not his own legs. He had no control. 

Whoever the strong hands that were on him belonged to must have sensed he was unable to hold his own weight as their grip only tightened, likely enough to leave soft bruises later on. As the feeling of fright worked its way through Gavin's wires & code, despite being rather out of it still, his programmed fight or flight response kicked in full gear. Fight. Always fight. He wasn't about to be scrapped for parts, not yet. Not when he had a kitten to lo- Where the hell was the kitten?!

Gavin yanked at one of his arms the best he could, managing to break free from one of the sets of hands that were trying to drag him away from where he was perfectly comfortable in making his early grave. 

It seemed as though the android was torn between wanting to live & the polar opposite. But, if he were to die, he wanted it to be on his own terms. He was too stubborn to allow anyone else to take his life away from him. 

Once his hand was free, the android tapped at his chest as if to feel for the small fluffy friend, a soft upset sound laced in static leaving his throat as reality sank in that the kitten may have been long gone by this point with him having no sense of how much time had passed since he was last awake. Surely it couldn't have been too long as it was still light outside. 

As the hands that he had escaped from tried desperately to get a grip on him once again, Gavin swallowed despite it scratching at his damaged throat before throwing a balled fist right into the face of the other man in which the stronger pair of hands belonged to.

After throwing the punch, Gavin stumbled to the ground as the human let go of him in surprise at the sudden outburst, his weight having only been held up thanks to said human. As he scrabbled across the snow blanketed floor in a poor attempt to escape the terrifying situation, managing to mumble out in a hoarse voice, barely above a whisper, "I'm not g-going to Cyberlife. 'M fine, le-ave me alone!" 

"Jesus Christ, he's got one hell of a right hook. Help me get him to my car." The human who Gavin had punched wiped his sleeve covered hand across his face, presumably wiping the blood away from his nose. 

_ Nice job, you pissed off your possible killer, _ the android thought to himself as he tried to protest & fight back as the two sets of strong hands hoisted him back up off of the freezing floor.

Before he even had the chance to attempt to pull away again, despite his legs not cooperating with what his coding was telling them to do, the android was picked up bridal style in the stronger of the two human's arms.

"He's fucking light as anything. Tell me again how you had trouble helping me to get him to stand?" The human who was carrying him had spoken once more but this time, his audio processors had begun to adjust back to their normal functionality.

He could hear the familiar, deep, dangerous yet soothing voice. What a welcoming sound it was to his panicking mind. As reality set in & his senses began to settle down & come back to him once he was placed gently on the backseat of the car, the android realised the hands that were helping him up belonged to Connor & Nines. The bickering voices also belonged to the brothers. 

Which meant- Oh no.  _ Oh no. _

Abruptly sitting up from where he was lying across the backseats, Gavin shifted so he was leaning in between the passenger & driver's seats, trying his best to scan over the detective who was driving with one hand, the other hand being sleeve covered & held against his nose. 

Fuck. 

"Nines, I-" GV200 started his sentence, but it seemed to get lost in the middle of his throat as he heard how crackly his voice was, it didn't sound like him. It was scary. 

He wanted to apologise 100 times over to the detective who had done nothing but try to help him & how does he return the favour? Punch him in the face. 

He wanted to beg for forgiveness & that's exactly what he would do if he had to; he didn't want to ruin the only good thing he had by acting on his paranoid impulses. Did Nines know about the tainted thirium? How long had he been outside for? Where did Connor go? Where was he taking him? Oh god, he was going to return him to Cyberlife, wasn't he? Fuck, fuck, fu-

"Don't. Please, sit back." The sentence was short but stern, if not demanding & the android knew better than to try to protest any further. So he simply did what robots did best, he obeyed. 

Sitting back against the leather seats of the detective's car, he drew in deep breaths as he tried to keep his internals cool, struggling to keep himself aware & out of the stasis that was metaphorically calling his name. 

It was like his body was begging to be shutdown for a while so he could finally get some well deserved rest. As if there was a higher power wrapping its evil hands around him, trying to pry him away from reality & drag him into the abyss known as stasis. 

His whole body ached. His throat was radiating pain that felt like the embodiment of TV static around his whole neck. His ribs felt bruised & sensitive as he moved his arms, which, also hurt.

So did his legs & his head too. Everything was aching & he craved for the feeling to go away. Worst of it all though, his thirium pump felt as though it was burning a hole in his chest like a hot knife through butter. It hurt. Bad. 

At some point during the journey, GV200 must have allowed the overwhelming urge to fall into stasis drag him into the blissful abyss because when he opened his eyes once more, he was now lying on a soft couch, surrounded by throw pillows & he felt... Comfortable.

Looking down at himself through the bombardment of error boxes, he could see why he was so comfortable. Sweatpants. No shirt though, just sweatpants. Wait, where was he? What happened to him? Where were his clothes? Did he-

The familiar feeling of his mechanical guts twisting in uncomfortable ways & his thirium pump kicking into overdrive set in, commonly known as panic. He wanted to jolt up & run away but he also physically  _ couldn't _ . 

As if someone had taken a blender to his brain & made soup out of the thoughts & code that were swimming around up there. It felt as though the room was spinning, walls were closing in, his body collapsing in on itself, threatening to overheat & self destruct just to stop the fear from creeping its way around his body, eating away at any sane, coherent thought he may have managed to piece together.

It took a few more moments before he realised the section of his chassis that protected his throat was open, wires exposed for anybody to mingle with. No, no, no technicians. Then he'd have to explain everything-

His panicked state must have been visible because within an instant, the couch cushions dipped beside him to indicate someone had sat down as a warm, comforting hand brushed through his hair. 

Blinking away the error boxes, clearing his throat in the process, the android was about to speak up as he looked up at the detective who was staring back at him with a concerned look overtaking those usually steel, cold eyes. 

Faint traces of blood smeared around the human's nostrils. But, before he had a chance to speak, the human beat him to it.

"Shh, shh, you're okay, I've got you. Keep still." Nines let the faintest reassuring smile grace his features in the hopes it would calm the paranoid android, hand continuously running through Gavin's hair which seemed to be keeping him calm despite his eyes darting around, looking terrified as what Nines could only presume was him scanning the area to get his bearings in check. 

A stranger made his way over to the pair, immediately getting back to work on where the GV200's framework was opened up. The android whimpered softly in discomfort, attempting to shift his hands to push the man away, only to have Nines' hands swiftly pin his wrists back at his sides, shaking his head in the process.

"What did I just say, hm? Keep still. I promise you're safe, it'll be over before you know it." His voice still had a stern tone to it but somehow, Gavin knew that Nines was trying to show he cared, in his own way. He just wasn't particularly good with showing compassion or kindness; that was the first thing the android had noticed about the detective, yet, it was strangely charming. 

Maybe it's because there was a small spark in the android that hoped he was lucky enough to be the only one who got to see the more gentle side of the tall, brooding detective.

Obeying Nines' words, Gavin lay as still as he could, his eyes never leaving where they were staring at the detective, who in turn, was watching every movement the technician made with great scrutiny, as if he was ready to break the man's hands if he dared pull a single pained sound from the android's throat. 

Every so often, the detective would mumble softly about how Gavin was doing great, being so good for staying still & something about the praise made his chest swell, thirium pump stutter in the best way. It had a warmth running through the wires in his chest & stomach.

After what felt like an eternity of discomfort, GV200 felt the framework being pushed back closed, clicking into place & his hands instinctively came up to run over the smooth white & blue chassis before his synthetic skin wrapped itself back around his throat. 

He watched as Nines stood himself up, pulling his wallet from his pocket & handing the technician a thick wad of money, shaking the man's hand shortly after, all the while whispering something to the technician which Gavin didn't get to catch onto before ushering the man out of his apartment, leaving the pair alone.

Who even was this man looking out for him every single time he found himself injured?

"Detective, I, uh, I can pay for the damages, I'll return the favour somehow, I can-" Gavin's voice was still raspy but seemed to have less static laced in it now, the error boxes about his crushed windpipe were gone too. Now that, was a relieving feeling. 

Nines shook his head as he sat back beside the android, flicking his eyes from the red LED that he could have sworn flashed yellow for just a moment before back to looking Gavin in the eyes, one hand coming up to gently cup the android's cheek, smiling sadly as the android flinched initially before relaxing into the warm touch. 

"Remember what I said before, Gavin? You don't owe me anything. Although, I'd like to request you don't punch me in the face again, my nose hurts but I'm taking that punch as revenge for the cruel things I said about you to Connor-"

"I'm really sorry, I am, I didn't know who you were, I thought-"

"Shh, I know, I know. I get it." Nines nodded, not having to explain how he understood blind panic probably better than anybody. He had just spent years upon years learning how to channel that panic into something more useful. Channel it into being ever alert & aware, always prepared for whatever may be thrown his way. 

Rather than dwelling on the punch though, he decided he'd clear a few things up to give Gavin some piece of mind, the fright & uncertainty still visible in those beautifully flawless green eyes.

"I know that maybe I didn't have the right to do so, but I changed you out of your clothes because they were wet from the snow & rain, dirty & probably had thirium stains that I couldn't see on them. You're not wearing a shirt because that way it was easier for my technician to access your throat to repair the damages. I can assure you I have not laid a hand on you in any way besides changing you into something more comfortable. If I've crossed a line, tell me." 

Nines' words came out with nothing but sincerity as he reached over the android to pull a fleecy hoodie from where it sat on the back of the couch, handing it to Gavin, who wasted no time in taking it. However, he didn't put it on, he just played with the soft fabric between his hands as he sat himself up, looking down at where the faint ring of blue sat in his sternum, thirium pump beating steadily, a little faster than what was coded but at least it wasn't erratically thrumming anymore.

"It's all fine. I trust you."

"Good. Now, do you trust me enough to tell me why the hell you ran away from my brother? As soon as I got out of Fowler's office - something we need to speak about later, by the way - I searched for you. Now, how did a handsome little robocop such as yourself end up beside the trash?" Nines' voice was deep, full of consideration if not a little flirtatious but Gavin didn't mind. 

He smiled as his cheeks flushed that soft shade of blue, a smile plucking at the corners of Nines' mouth as the words 'mission accomplished' passed through his mind as he saw that blush that he adored so much.

"Shut up.." Gavin mumbled shyly in response to being called handsome before continuing, any hint of happiness completely falling from his voice, "I just got in an argument with my partner again, I know I shouldn't have left Connor, I'm sorry, it's my fault-"

"No!" Nines' voice came through harsher than he had intended as he shook his head, getting himself more comfortable on the couch, leaning close to the android, eyes piercing as ever. "Don't you ever go blaming yourself, you hear me? None of this is your fault."

There was a silence as those words sat heavy in the air & GV200 felt the overwhelming urge to run away from the scrutiny. It  _ was _ his fault. The only reason he even ended up out there in the first place was because he craved the drugged thirium. 

If Nines found out, he wouldn't be so kind anymore, nobody wanted androids anyway. Especially not broken ones. So, he wouldn't tell him. He'd keep it to himself until it killed him, or at least, until he didn't crave it anymore. Whichever came first.

"Where's the kitten?"

"The ki- What?" Nines blinked in confusion as he eyed the android who was now hugging the hoodie he was holding to his chest.

GV200 shifted to curl himself up as small as possible on the end of the couch, mumbling barely above a whisper once more, "There was a kitten..." 

Suddenly, that barely audible voice turned into something more desperate & pleading as he looked up into Nines' eyes with his own, ever frightened green ones. "It's gonna die, Nines! We can't just leave it out there, please! We  _ have _ to find it-" Gavin's words came out more as plea's as he attempted to stand, only to be pulled back down onto the couch, falling into the couch cushions with a surprised squeak & sinking against Nines' side.

He didn’t bother to protest. After all, he didn't mind being right against the tall detective. 

The detective let out soft 'shhh' sounds to soothe the android, pulling out his phone to call Connor, explaining the mysterious kitten situation, making it sound like a missing persons report simply to pull a soft laugh from Gavin who was now slouching against his side, snuggling up to his warmth in the same way the kitten had done with Gavin earlier on that day. 

Once Nines hung up the phone, he gently wrapped his arms around Gavin to pull the android closer to his side, one hand finding its way back to running through GV's hair. 

He may be bad with emotions & showing compassion but he wasn't stupid. It was clear that all Gavin craved was a bit of gentle, kind physical affection with no ulterior motives. He wanted someone to care, that was clear to Nines now.

There was a comfortable silence that fell around the pair & Nines was grateful for it because it meant he could listen closely to the sound of Gavin's thirium pump cycling in his chest. It was calming. 

The detective used his other hand to very gently place it over the android's sternum so he could feel the thrum of the regulator working against his hand. Fascinating.

"Sorry..." The word was soft despite Gavin's rough voice & Nines knew immediately that the android was apologising for the sound of his regulator beating, which was fucking ridiculous.

How could somebody so wonderfully pure feel the need to apologise for the one thing that was keeping him alive? 

With the room being so quiet, it was almost like the sound of the cooling fans on a laptop working to keep the technology from overheating. A sound that had always soothed the detective in a way.

"Gavin? Are you apologising for the beating of your heart?"

"I guess I am."


	11. Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin gets the moment of calm he so rightfully deserves as Nines realises the protective walls he had built around his emotions are coming crumbling down with each passing second he spends with the android.

The sun seeping through the curtains would usually be enough to wake the detective up, not needing an alarm due to being in such a familiar routine for the better part of his life. Yet, here he was, curled up on his couch, only just waking up at 9:30 A.M. 

His arms were wrapped tightly around the small android that had, at some point during the night, snuggled up as close to his chest as physically possible without actually ending up on Nines' lap. For the first time in a long time, the pure sense of tranquility filtered through Nines' tough exterior, dancing around his chest unapologetically. 

For once, he welcomed the unfamiliar feeling.

The detective allowed the tiniest smile to grace his usually stoic features as he looked down at the sleeping android, grateful that it was a Friday otherwise he would have likely ended up having to try & take the day off of work; despite days off - besides his Fridays - being completely against Nines' own personal code.

Gavin's well being just seemed to be more of a priority at the moment. 

Letting out a soft, content sigh, he ran a hand through Gavin's ever soft hair, studying just how relaxed he looked. LED was still red though, not that it surprised Nines at all. It got Nines wondering if the android was dreaming, if he could dream, or if he could feel the gentle touch of Nines' hand in his hair. It didn't take long for him to get an answer however as a sleep riddled, groggy voice filled the silence. 

How very human.

"Your heart rate has been sitting at a much more calm rate than it usually does, Detective. Are you content cuddling a hunk of metal?"

"Good morning to you too, Sunshine." Nines chuckled through his words at the android's terrible humour, something he couldn't wait to hear more of, arms still wrapped tightly around Gavin.

Nines held him close, even as he shifted slightly so he could look up at Nines with those bright green eyes, LED blinking yellow for barely a moment before falling back red, cycling calmly. The detective wanted so badly to point it out, but he had noticed the way the android hid his LED with his hair as soon as somebody either pointed it out or looked at it for too long, so he decided to keep himself quiet & appreciate the sight that was looking up at him instead.

"Uh, I'm sorry about yesterday but, um, thank you. For fixing me-"

"Shh, shh-" Nines had taken up stroking Gavin's hair again, shaking his head as he kept his voice as soft as he could, still a little raspy & sleepy as he continued, "-We don't have to talk about it, not unless you want to. You don't have to thank me, but all I ask is that if you ever need, uh, repairs? Then you tell me.”

Nines tipped his head to glance down at the android. “I want you to be in the best condition you can be. No more falling apart trying to please others, Gavin. Okay?" The detective had that slight austere tone to his words to show the sincerity of his words. He waited for a response from the android & when he got a nod to show he understood, he continued.

"If I ask you to run a self diagnostic, are you going to argue with me like you usually do? I just want to be sure that technician did his job properly or else he's going to have a problem that he won't be able to fix..." A dark look momentarily washed over Nines' features as his sentence trailed off, a look that reminded Gavin that he should run away, far & fast, yet, he found himself moving closer instead. 

Maybe he was just a magnet for danger. But, if that danger looked at him with such concern & consideration & held him so close throughout the night, then he would welcome it into his life. 

He had nothing to lose at this point.

The android stayed quiet as he pressed against Nines' side, closing his eyes for a moment as his LED rapidly blinked red before mumbling softly, "All repairs to the throat & esophagus have been successful. Any minor injuries have been repaired through stasis & my thirium levels are sitting at 72% - Enough to function normally but should be replenished before it drops below 50%." 

Gavin opened his eyes once more to look up at Nines from where he was still pressed against the human's side, a sheepish smile along with a soft blue blush creeping onto his face as Nines praised him for being good. 

_ Oh.  _

Now that felt good. Real good. 

He could get used to hearing this human tell him he's doing good. It had a completely different tone as to when Whitman said it. Whitman said it after GV200 had been forced to do something but complied out of fear. 

Nines said it in a genuinely rewarding, proud tone. Yeah, he liked that.

"Well, we can get your thirium levels sorted out with no hassle. I've got you covered."

"I don't want to go to Whitman! He can't know you helped me, he's gonna-"

"Gavin..." Nines cut the android's sentence short, maneuvering the pair so Nines was in a more comfortable position against the couch cushions, pulling GV200 onto his lap, knowing full & fell that it was something Gavin wanted but was too shy to make the move or to ask. 

The action was reciprocated by the android immediately curling up against Nines' chest, hand coming up to fiddle with his thirium pump regulator that was beginning to thrum faster in his chest as he remembered the threats Whitman had made about hurting Nines. 

Considering Gavin was, as he himself put it, a 'hunk of metal', had a computer for a brain that was far superior than Nines could ever dream of being, Gavin just felt so... Small. Despite being 5 foot 9 which wasn't exactly short, maybe the fact Nines was above 6 foot didn't quite help, but Gavin felt so light & vulnerable. 

Nines couldn’t help but wonder how could anybody even  _ think _ about laying a hand on him negatively?

The detective wrapped one arm around Gavin to hold him close, his other hand gently moving the android's hand away from his thirium pump, holding said hand in his own as he spoke, nothing but care lacing every word despite the way his voice always sounded so aloof. "Hey now, don't do that... We don't have to go to him, like I said, I've got you. You said last night that you trust me?"

"I do."

"Then trust me enough to get you out of this spot you're stuck in."

"But, Nines, I like being in this spot-" The android smirked ever so slightly as he snuggled up closer to Nines' chest, his anxieties from just a few moments ago fizzling into nothing as his humour peeked through once again. 

The detective simply rolled his eyes & let a soft huff escape his lips that could have been a laugh if he tried hard enough, but he was too afraid of making any movement with his chest when there was a small, needy android pressed against it. 

"You know what I mean. Are you always this cheeky on a morning?" Nines looked down at Gavin, tracing little invisible shapes along the android's bare back, earning a shiver in response to the delicate touch. Thoughts began to pool in the human's mind, grateful that Gavin didn't flinch away from the touch this time around. 

This morning he seemed to be, well, himself. The GV200 that Tina loved so much. The GV200 that had a sense of humour, that didn't look so afraid, that would happily engage in conversation, that, apparently, was very cuddly. 

It didn't take a genius to see that the android was touch starved. He just wanted an ounce of kindness & Nines was going to show him gentle compassion if it's the last thing he does. To show him that he deserved to be loved & deserved to be comfortable in his own skin.

"When I'm not in pain, yes." 

The answer was simple yet somehow, managed to catch the detective off guard, feeling like a stab to the chest. A twang of guilt riddled pain plucking at Nines' heart strings at the response.

If Gavin were to listen closely enough, he might have been able to hear the sound of the bricks that made up that protective wall Nines put up around himself & his emotions begin to tumble away.

Gavin was  _ hurting. _ Almost every single time Nines had seen him. 

The times Nines left him alone, the days where Nines didn't see him because he was too stubborn to apologise for his own uncalled for words. Every night, every day, for who the hell knows how long for, he was in pain. Whether that was physical or emotional; he was hurting & Whitman was going to pay for how he treated Gavin. 

Nines would be sure of that much. 

He was going to make Whitman suffer & he knew it was a dangerous thought train to hop onto, that train having no brakes, not until those thoughts became a reality, but he couldn't help it. 

There was a fire in his veins that yearned for taking out bad men. Maybe he never could truly shake his dark past & the desperate desire for control & blood that seemed to linger like a shadow. He merely suppressed it with the amount of time he spent in interrogation rooms. 

A harsh knock on the door that was borderline banging pulled Nines abruptly from where his mind had been wandering off to the creative ways he could hurt Whitman, Gavin's whole body tensing up at the loud sound, eyes darting to the door then back to Nines as clear worry washed across his features. 

Great. That peaceful look was gone from his eyes once more & Nines found himself already longing for its return.

"Stay here." Nines nodded with a reassuring smile, his voice coming out in that stern yet encouraging tone before carefully shifting the lightweight android so he was sitting against all of the couch cushions, standing himself up in the process. Nines strode to the front door, all the while tucking his DPD issued pistol into the back of his slacks that he had ended up sleeping in from the day before. Just in case. 

The detective ran a hand through his hair, glancing down at himself to be sure he looked relatively presentable despite having slept in yesterday's clothes before unlocking the door & pulling it open only about half way with his foot planted firmly behind the door so it couldn't be pushed open any further by whoever was standing on the other side. Safety precautions he had been instinctively yet subconsciously doing for years.

Thankfully though, the safety precautions were not necessary. The sight that stood before the detective was  _ hilarious. _

In his apartment doorway stood Connor with the most unimpressed look on his usually cheery features, looking as though he had been dragged through a hedge backwards & if it wasn't for what his brother had in his hands, Nines would have actually been concerned. 

Connor was positively disheveled, hair completely out of its usual placement, strands pointing in all kinds of directions, three little scratches down his right cheek with dried blood around them & his shirt was missing. Well, not missing. He just wasn't wearing it. Instead, it was wrapped around the tiniest little bundle of grey fur that he was holding tightly between his hands at an arm's length away from himself for safety. 

"You. Owe. Me." 

Nines wasn't sure if he had ever heard his brother sound so genuinely  _ pissed. _

With that, Nines lost it. He laughed, actually, wholeheartedly let out a genuine throaty laugh. An unfamiliar sound that he never thought would leave his mouth. Through his laughter though, he managed to get a few words out, calling to the nervous android that was still silently waiting in the living room for his protector to come back.

"Hey, Robocop! I got a surprise for you, c'mere!"

Gavin smiled at the nickname; it was something that Tina would call him. It was the only nickname he was genuinely okay with, he found it amusing once Tina had explained what the reference was to. Thanks to her, he was rather well diverse with knowledge on classic movies.

Sure, he could have used his computer brain, but there was no fun in that.

He slowly stood himself up from where he was curled on the couch, grateful that his motor functions in his legs had returned & synthetically swallowed back the nerves that were beginning to swim around as he made his way to Nines' side at the door, looking to Connor with widened eyes at the older brother's bedraggled state before immediately calming down as he saw what the man was holding.

Wasting no time at all, Gavin reached his hands out, pulling the tiny grey kitten right against his chest all the while handing Connor his shirt back without even looking up from the little creature that now had his full attention. 

The android's eyes fluttered shut as a feeling of pure appease filled his processors, LED blinking between yellow & red, staying on yellow for a good few moments; something that both brothers immediately noticed as they watched the android's actions, looking at each other with the exact same, surprised yet gratified expression.

As Connor pulled his creased shirt back on, Nines idled for a moment before inviting his brother into his apartment for the first time since he had moved in. GV200 got himself back comfortable on the couch, his full attention on the tiny kitten that was attempting to climb along his shoulders as the brothers made their way into Nines' large kitchen where Nines could begin to prepare himself breakfast, Connor breaking the silence first, speaking in a hushed tone.

"You have a wonderful home, Brother. I appreciate actually being invited in. Did you see the way his LED cha-"

"Shh. Yes, I noticed." Nines' response was rather snappy through his quiet tone, throwing a glare to his brother as he got to work on preparing two small cinnamon & fig yogurt bowls. 

Luckily, Connor was smart enough to catch onto Nines' short response, apologising as he sat himself at the breakfast bar. 

"He trusts you, Nines. Please don't fuck with that."

"Excuse me?" One of Nines' eyebrows quirked up in response to Connor's words, eyes still narrow but keeping his attention on preparing the food for himself & his brother.

"Don't _ 'excuse me' _ me. I know your habits, Nines, better than anyone. I know the way you avoid any emotional attachments. The way you only interact with people if you can get one good night out of it & then you never see them again so you don't grow attached. You sabotage anything that could be. You're defensive & you don't, well, you don't care-"

Silence filled the kitchen after Connor's words left his mouth & Nines for a moment, contemplated poisoning Connor's serving so he'd shut up psychoanalyzing him for once. 

Of course, he wouldn't really do that. Probably not, anyway. 

The detective sat at the breakfast bar a few seats away from his brother, sliding one of the bowls across the table to which Connor caught it, beginning to dig into Nines' perfectly crafted breakfast as he waited for a response which took a long while to come, but when it did, a small smile graced his features.

"Connor. This isn't like that. Yes, he's undoubtedly my type, I'm well aware. But, I don't plan on laying a hand on him unless he initiates it. Even then, I'd be hesitant. He already tried once but I pushed him away. He's lost, Con. I'm just trying to convince him that he doesn't owe me anything for just showing him basic respect.”

Nines let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his disheveled hair before continuing, “He isn't here for my benefit, I can assure you of that. I just want him to be safe. Whitman is going to snap one of these days & is going to kill him. That's why I'm trying to get Fowler to recruit him as my partner-" The younger brother paused momentarily so he could shovel some of his breakfast into his mouth, casting his gaze over to the living room where Gavin had now taken up lying on his back on the couch with the kitten sitting on his chest, pawing at where his thirium pump was cycling calmly in his sternum. "Speaking of, did you get what I asked for?"

Connor nodded with a smile, finishing his mouthful of food before speaking up. "Uh huh, in my car. Kinda couldn't carry both a bag & that gremlin. Which, by the way- You have a violent cat now? Maybe it suits you. It is just like you; grey fur to match your eyes. Violent. An asshole just like yourself. Aren't you lucky." His tone was drenched in sarcasm to which Nines merely rolled his eyes at, shrugging as he stayed watching Gavin, a small smile curling at the corners of his lips.

"Not  _ my _ cat. It's Gavin's. It'll just reside here & he can come see it as he pleases. But, if you hadn't noticed, it seems to love him & shows no violence towards him... Huh, maybe you're right & it is like me. Anyway, how did the tiny thing cause you to look like, well,  _ that _ ." Nines gestured to Connor as he snickered to himself, knowing his subject switch wouldn't go unnoticed, but Connor was smarter than to bring it up. 

Nines stood to quickly wash their now empty bowls, making his way back over to Gavin, shifting the android's legs so he could sit down, gently placing Gavin's legs over his lap as he spoke in a soft voice that Connor didn't know his brother even possessed.

"Y’know, it's going to need a name. Connor has taken up calling it Gremlin, do you know the reference?" 

_ "He. He _ needs a name. Yes, I know the reference." Gavin glanced up at Nines with a smile before shooting a glare at Connor who was leaning against the breakfast bar as he protectively held the kitten against his chest as if to protect him from Connor's name calling. "He isn't a gremlin,  _ Detective Allen. _ He's a gizmo. " Gavin sounded so confident as he spoke, if not a little sarky, which Nines couldn't help but feel proud of. 

Referencing a movie from 1984 in 2038? Incredible. A soft laugh escaped Nines' lips at the sight of Gavin glaring at his brother, getting protective over the little kitten that was so content with climbing all over Gavin's chest & shoulders. 

What a beautiful sight indeed.

"Gizmo, huh? Suits him." Both Nines & Gavin nodded at the same time, agreeing on the name in unison & Nines chose to ignore Connor as he muttered, "Great, there's two of them" under his breath as Gavin displayed similar glares & quirks that Nines did.

Not that it was a bad thing. Maybe Nines could teach the android a thing or two about holding himself up with confidence. 

The pair stayed on the couch together, Nines' hands resting gently on Gavin's shins, rubbing at them mindlessly as he watched the android play with the little kitten, listening as Gavin got lost in his ramblings, talking about all of the animals he's been able to see so far & how since his activation, he decided that animals were much more preferable over humans. 

According to Gavin, he'd rather be mauled by a lion or an angry dog than have to spend time with his human coworkers. Which, Nines could completely understand. It didn't make the sentiment any less heartbreaking though.

Connor had disappeared from the apartment only to return with a bag in hand, other hand holding his phone to his ear, speaking in a hushed yet serious tone as he put the bag in Nines' room, returning to the living room doorway as he hung up, drawing in a deep breath before piping up in the same serious tone he had while he was on the phone.

"More bodies have shown up, they think these ones were staged to look like accidental overdoses though when they were actually murders. They want me to go & check it out. Captain Fowler wants you to come in too-"

"What? It's Friday?"

"I know, I told him that. He needs you to accompany me to the scene so we can figure out what the hell is going on because this isn't the first set of bodies to show up that look like weird overdoses on that android drug stuff, they've nicknamed it Cobalt.”

Connor let out a sigh before continuing, “It seems to be getting dangerously more circulated into the public. But, we can already tell that these bodies have been staged to look like OD's on Cobalt when they were in fact killed before the drug had a chance to kill them. It's weird. He was also hoping that GV would have some helpful input too considering he specialises in narcotics?"

Gavin jerked his head up as he heard his name, looking between the brothers as ones & zeros strung together to form a look of uncertainty on his face. 

Nines sighed, the irritation only being stemmed from the fact this was his day off. He was sort of hoping he would be able to spend the day with Gavin & they would finally get the chance to talk about everything that has happened & all the possibilities their future may hold if Gavin allows Nines to help him out. 

Not to mention they had a kitten to look after now. Nines supposed he never really could catch a break. Apparently, criminals & junkie androids didn't care if he wanted to spend the day not thinking about the chaos of the world outside of his little bubble of halcyon.

The detective stood himself up as he talked with his brother for a few moments before saying his goodbyes, saying how he'll meet him at the crime scene once he was ready. 

He then freshened up in the bathroom before calling for Gavin to follow him to his bedroom as he got himself swiftly changed into a clean pair of tight black slacks & a tight fitted grey button down shirt, rolling the sleeves to his elbows as he always did with perfect precision as to not cause any creases. He then fixed up his unruly, curly hair as Gavin shuffled into the room, Gizmo immediately making himself comfortable on Nines' bed.

"Now, although sweatpants are a cute look on you, I think we need to get you into something slightly more professional if we're off to work, no?"

The android standing in the doorway of the bedroom looked down at himself as he nodded, LED cycling on a calm red as he murmured softly, seemingly a little shy, if Nines wasn't mistaken. "Uh, I guess so. I'm sorry that I keep borrowing your clothes. I-"

"Gavin. No, I wasn't complaining. I was hinting." Nines had a mischievous look sparkling in his eye as he picked up the bag that Connor had left in his room for him, handing it to Gavin who took it with a fabricated puzzled look creeping across his features.

After admiring that look, Nines elaborated, "Get changed into that. I'll be waiting in the living room." Just like that, Nines was out of the room to give the android some privacy, slipping on his work shoes after pulling on one of his warmer leather jackets. It was the middle of winter after all.

It didn't take too long for Gavin to reappear from the bedroom, making his way almost silently to the living room doorway, leaning against the doorframe, clearing his throat to get Nines' attention.

The detective looked up from his phone, eyes quite literally lighting up at the sight that stood before him. __

_ Fuck. _

Gavin stood in the doorway wearing a police android uniform that Nines had promised to get him into. 

The whole outfit fit snug to Gavin's body, accentuating his well built physique. Something that Nines was yet again, very grateful for, but wouldn't say out loud until he was sure Gavin was okay with that sort of attention from him. 

He had navy blue - almost black trousers on along with a tight fit shirt in the same colours to match the slacks, made from that familiar latex looking fabric that most police android uniforms were made from. DPD patches sat on either upper arm, blue triangle glowing brightly over the left side of his chest. 

Gavin had long black sleeves beneath the main shirt, although not necessary considering androids didn't feel the cold, it completed the look nonetheless, especially when paired with the black gloves he also had on. 

Around Gavin's right bicep sat the glowing blue armband & Nines' favourite part of the whole outfit was easily the bright, glowing white lettering that sat neatly over the right side of his chest. ' **GV200** ' written in a neat, bold font. 

GV200, the one & only.

It was only when Gavin's LED began to blink red a little faster than just a few moments prior that Nines realised he had been staring for a little too long. He couldn't help it though, the sight before him was just so stunning. 

The android looked exactly how he should look. Ready to do what he was passionate about, whether that passion was purely script, it didn't matter. Gavin wanted to work & to help people & now he finally looked the part.

"You are stunning. Ready to go & work a case with me,  _ partner?" _

Nines was sure to put emphasis on the last word that fell from his mouth, a tiny lopsided smirk tugging at the one side of his mouth as the android opened his mouth to speak but for a moment, no words actually found their way out, having been caught in his throat by the emotions that Nines could see were threatening to spill out. 

So, instead, Gavin simply nodded enthusiastically, following Nines out to his car before he finally managed to push the words, "So ready" from his mouth. 

The pair exchanged a genuine smile & a nod before driving towards the crime scene that awaited their expertise. 


	12. Equals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The duo finally get to show up to a crime scene together so Nines can see just how well GV200 can work without Whitman's firm hand drawing him back.

The car journey to the crime scene had been relatively void of conversation & would have been silent if it wasn't for Pink Floyd playing softly through the radio & the soft inhaling sounds Nines had made while nursing a cigarette with one hand. 

The windows on the car were wound down half way as to not have any smoke circulating its way around his car. Sure, Gavin was an android, but Nines wasn’t actually too certain if the smoke could have some sort of negative effect on Gavin’s processors & he wasn’t about to take the risk knowing Gavin wouldn’t speak up to complain.

His other hand was resting slack on the wheel as he drove. Overall, it was quite peaceful. He felt an unfamiliar sense of calm sitting in his bones, only amplifying with each glance he took to the android that was sitting in his passenger seat; fiddling with the fingerless gloves of his uniform. 

The pair hadn't conversed since getting into the car, but the silence wasn't one of those awkward ones. It was comfortable. Although, if he wasn't mistaken, Nines was sensing some form of fabricated nerves sitting in the android's aura as his LED spun calmly red. Always red. 

That assumption being confirmed as Gavin finally spoke up after approximately 20 minutes of them driving silently. "Why do they want me there? Will Whitman be there too? I'm starting to think I won't be neces-"

"Gavin. Stop that-" Nines glanced toward the android with one of those newly famous reassuring smiles that he reserved only for Gavin despite his stern tone before continuing, "You are necessary, you are needed. No, Whitman won't be there, I already checked on that one with Connor before bringing you out here. You really think I'm going to let you near him?”

After taking another drag of his cigarette, Nines continued, “You'll be the first narcotics expert to show up on the scene, so we'll be relying on you to tell us about this android drug. I think Connor said the street name is Cobalt? We need to know more about that before it becomes an epidemic. So, I'm here for the murder, you're here for the drugs that may be related to said murder. Not to put any pressure on you but if you do well on this case, Fowler may actually allow you to stay as my partner." The detective decided it was probably best to leave out the part where he threatened to quit his job if Fowler didn't make a move in helping to protect GV200. 

There was a moment of silence, which Nines assumed was Gavin taking in all of the information he had just been told, diverting his eyes from Nines' glances to look out of the window instead.

His response came out rather quietly, not even questioning or showing any emotion toward the notion that he may become Nines' partner. Not that the human could take offense to the matter though; whatever made GV200 comfortable & all.

"I guess they couldn't come up with a more creative name than tainted thirium? So they're calling it Cobalt? Because it's blue? I mean, I guess it's better than calling it  _ blue juice _ , maybe. How are the androids getting a hold of this drug?"

"Well, that's something I was sort of hoping you could tell me, Gavin." There was a slight dark tone to Nines' voice as he side eyed the android beside him before gluing his eyes back to the road, taking another deep drag of his cigarette. 

It was as if he knew something but wasn't quite outright saying it just yet. As if he had a feeling that Gavin knew more about this drug than he was letting on, but needed more proof before jumping to conclusions. It made his thirium pump stutter.

Gavin was grateful in that moment that Nines wasn't an android or one simple scan would show the sudden spike in how quickly his thirium pump was whirring in his chest, his code causing his processors to begin to heat up. Anxiety. Oh how frustrating it was to be so very human like. 

Cyberlife really did hate him. Surely Nines had no clue about him taking the tainted thirium - Cobalt, did he? There was no way he could know.

"I don't think I understand what you mean, Detective?" Fabricated innocence drenched Gavin's words as a hand came up to pull strands of hair over his LED that he could tell was beginning to reveal his stress levels by blinking that little bit faster, leaving a soft, nervous red glow around the car. 

Why the fuck did Cyberlife think that putting a mood ring right there on his head for everybody to see was a good idea? Always red. Always a warning.

"I mean, you have the knowledge, no? On dealers, on drugs, on buyers, on how they get around unnoticed until bodies start dropping. I was hoping you would be able to give us some insight?" 

Oh.  _ Oh. _ Of course. Of course Nines didn't suspect a thing. He was only human after all & GV200 had learnt the hard way that humans did not notice when an android was in trouble.

They did not care. 

So why was he so worked up over the thought of Nines finding out that he would merely end up being another case file on his desk of an android that OD'ed on a drug that he helped create.

Oh god.

Gavin had never allowed that thought to properly creep into his coding before. He continually buried it beneath other ones & zeros, taking the tainted thirium until he forgot it was his fault it existed. 

He was the reason these androids were dying. 

He was the reason Whitman & Co had concocted the perfect addictive formula. Any android that dies from addiction to the Cobalt would be all his fault. He was an android killer who was hooked on the drug that was killing them. Well, he did deserve it for being, well, for being a killer. Maybe Cyberlife should shut him down. Scrap him for parts. Well, for whatever parts that were still fully intact. His computer brain clearly was not one of them.

_ If this all goes to plan, Bolts, we'll be rich. By we, I mean me, obviously. Getting rich by making your pathetic job stealing species extinct? Sounds pretty fuckin' perfect to me. We won't have to worry about you now, will we? It's only been a few days & we can already see the way your code or whatever is slower to react to information. It's killing you, Tin Can, slowly but surely, yet, you crave it. You've always been a whore for the things that can kill you, huh? Fucking deviant piece of scrap metal- _

Whitman's voice played over in his mind, his memory processors on the fritz again, clearly. Not that he could do anything to stop it when his self diagnostics always came back clean. Or at least, didn't show any signs of damage to his internal workings. 

Maybe he was just too broken to notice at this point. Viewing the world through error boxes & warning signs.

The android must have been lost in his own self deprecating thoughts for far longer than he had initially realised because he didn't even notice that Nines had pulled up to a stop, trying to pull his attention back to the real world from where he was lost in his own computer generated mindspace - which Gavin was beginning to convince himself should be renamed to Hell. That's what humans seemed to refer to a terrible place; so it seemed rather fitting.

"-alm down. Hey, Gavin!" Nines had one hand gently placed on the android's shoulder, gently shaking it to try & snap the android out of wherever it was he was lost in after seeing the way his chest was rising & falling with the rapid synthetic breaths he was desperately pulling into his metal lungs. 

Thankfully, Gavin snapped his head up to look at Nines to show he was back in reality, his wide green eyes glazed over. 

Could androids cry? Was Gavin going to cry? God, he hoped not. Nines did not do well with emotions as it was. He did especially worse when they manifested into tiny salty lakes, persistent on making a situation a hell of a lot more awkward than it has to be.

Although, something about seeing those glassy, frightened eyes staring right at him, as if expecting him to somehow rectify whatever wrongs that had led them to that point made more bricks from that protective wall Nines had around himself begin to crumble & fall apart.

"Hey you, you back with me now? You were breathing pretty heavily back there, I'm no stranger to panic. Are you okay, do you need to wait in the car?" Nines' voice was soft, to his own surprise, far softer than he realised he was capable of, showing his concerns but Gavin knew he couldn't tell Nines the truth. Not yet.

"No! No, please. I'm okay, I was just processing some data I was accumulating from previous files that may help, that's all. I'm okay." Gavin nodded as he spoke, trying to hide the quiver in his deep voice. 

He blinked a few times to help clear the water that was threatening to escape the dams behind his eyes before stepping out of the car so Nines wouldn't have the chance to try & pry answers from him if he didn't believe the lie. Which, something Gavin had noticed, it was far more difficult to lie to this particular human than it was to lie to anybody else. He didn't quite know why.

Nines followed the android close behind through the holographic police tape, nodding to where Connor was conversing with other officers as a hello before heading straight to the bodies that were slumped against each other on an old couch. Two of them. Again. Just like the previous crime scene. 

Except this time, there was reason to believe they didn't actually overdose on the drug that was apparently in their system; they had been killed before it had the chance to kill them. Weird. 

Why go through the effort of killing somebody if you knew they were going to die anyway?

They had been told the murder had been covered up to look like an overdose but clearly that was bullshit. Clear by the single bullet wound that sat in both of their heads. This is why Nines always chose to do everything for himself, that way his chances of being misinformed on a situation would be slimmer.

Nines pulled on a pair of black disposable gloves as he looked over to Gavin who was lingering by the bodies but hadn't made a move yet. Huh, weird. It only took a few short moments for Nines to realise what was going on. It was actually quite sad.

"Gavin, you can do your thing, you don't have to wait for my permission. We work together on this, okay? Equals." Once more, Nines let the smallest of reassuring smiles grace his features before returning stoic as he crouched down to get a better view of the bodies, brows knitting together as his eyes fell upon the blue blood slowly trickling out of the bullet hole that was square between the victim's eyes. 

Why? They would have died from the drug without the assistance of a bullet to their brains. 

Nines figuratively, not literally, took a step back to allow Gavin to take point. Something that the android likely hadn't been able to do being under Whitman's firm hand. But, the human was very curious to see just how well the android could work around a crime scene without being held back. 

If he could figure out where Nines' scars were from & how old they were just by looking at them, it was likely Gavin could give some insight about the scene that a human simply couldn't do. At one point in Nines' life, he probably would have allowed that thought to negatively affect his work, like many of his coworkers did. 

But seeing Gavin in his element really was something. He looked so, well, he didn't know. He couldn't quite pinpoint what the warm feeling flowing through his chest was, but he welcomed it as he watched Gavin work.

He watched as GV200's LED blinked faintly as he scanned the area, his curiosity spiking as the android maneuvered himself around the bodies, as if he could see something that Nines couldn't. Eyes flickering around as he took in everything, eyebrows scrunched up in an adorable fashion which Nines pinpointed to be Gavin's focused face.

Gavin's LED didn't let up on the mini light show it was putting on as he checked the dead android's thirium pumps, sighing softly to himself as he murmured, "Yeah, they were definitely addicted to the stuff. I think it works faster than it was originally intended to as well-"

"What makes you say that? What can you see?"

"It's rather simple, actually. If you know what you're looking for-" Gavin flashed Nines a cheeky, toothy grin as if to rub it in the detective's face that he's the smarter of the two, yet somehow, his eyes still had that sad, lost look in them which almost overwrote the grin, unfortunately.

Taking Nines' silence as his queue to continue, Gavin gestured to the thirium pump sitting in the android's bare chest, his finger tracing the soft blue bruising that sat around it in a perfect ring, somehow to Nines, it seemed oddly familiar. "You see this? This is what happens when you pull a thirium pump out more than once. This drug, Cobalt? Can be injected straight into the regulator to have it work faster, just like how addicts inject heroin straight into the vein. I guess it's convenient these androids are old models like me, that way the bruising is visible to the human eye. Newer androids don't bruise, but, you knew that already. My apologies-"

_ 'Old models like me, that way the bruising is visible'.  _

_ 'This is what happens when you pull a thirium pump out more than once' _ . 

Nines knew the ring of bruising looked familiar. He'd seen it before. 

On Gavin. 

He could feel his blood run cold as realisation slammed into him hard enough for him to lose balance. Thankfully, he was a gold medalist at allowing the wars within him to never see the light of day. Stone faced as ever, Nines replied to the android, refusing to allow his voice to show any form of emotion.

"No, no, don't apologise. Please, continue. What makes you suggest it works faster? How can you possibly know that from just looking at the bodies?" Nines' curiosity had piqued, his words laced with a questioning tone which made the android smile ever so slightly, LED falling back to cycling slowly rather than blinking rapidly. 

Gavin felt... Useful.

"Well, the first androids had taken it & it had killed them immediately. Like cyanide. These androids, well, they were clearly using the drug for a few days at most? The bruising is new, it's recent.”

Gavin looked between Nines & the androids, when Nines made no attempt to interrupt, he continued, “Which means the formula of the Cobalt must have been tweaked so rather than killing them right away, they get hooked instead. But, it's clear they were hooked by the first use. They probably didn't even expect to get addicted to it. They just did. Deviants looking for a thrill, maybe? I doubt they knew what they were getting into-"

"Well, that's better than anything I could have come up with on the spot, but, why the bullet to the head if they were just going to die anyway?"

"That's the part I'm still trying to figure out. I'm trying to reconstruct what happened but..." GV200's sentence trailed off into nothing as he looked away, LED blinking once more. 

He wasn't about to admit that in him taking the drug, it was slowly frying his processors, he could tell it was getting more & more difficult to function properly. 

_ Not long now, _ he thought to himself as he cast his gaze to the dead androids. There was no way they had been taking the drug for any longer than a few days so surely, it wouldn't be long until he ended up just like them. Dead. Gone. Nothing more than a-

"Junkie androids then?" A voice that didn't belong to Nines cut through his thoughts & Gavin looked up with furrowed brows to the officer that was now standing beside his partn- No - human. They weren't partners yet. The officer was familiar from his unit; worked in narcotics. Of course. He couldn't shake them. Like fleas on a stray. Bright side? At least it wasn't Whitman.

He heard Nines quietly mutter something about having a little respect, which was sort of comforting, but the officer brushed him off to step closer to Gavin with a smug look lingering across his lips that left an uneasy feeling settling into his metal bones.

"Apparently addiction isn't only for you meatbags now, Officer. Why are you on my case?" Gavin spat with as much venom as his code allowed as he stood back up to his full height from where he was still crouched by the scene. Something about being almost on his knees in front of a man had his internals heating up, his LED flashing red once more. 

"Making sure you don't fuck up. Since when did Whitman's plastic pet get such a mouth, huh? Always knew it was better when it was fil-"

"The fuck are you insinuating, huh?" The words left GV200's mouth before his processors had the chance to realise he was using foul language. He didn't need a babysitter. He could work alone. He could work with Nines. He didn't need people watching his every step. Pushing him around. Taking advantage. It was tiring.

The spark of confidence that Nines had lit inside Gavin had erupted into more than a flame as he clenched his fists, arguing with his code as to whether or not he should throw a punch. What did he have to lose? If he was going to die just like these androids did then he wasn't about to allow Whitman's buddies get away with walking all over him when he was finally having a good day.

The anger that he felt swimming through his processors was welcoming. He could feel it, clear as day. It was  _ his _ anger. He was in control this time. It felt so much nicer than the anxiety he was so used to. "Get the fuck out of my crime scene. We don't need you here."

"Funny, I remember you needing me when you were on yo-"

"That's enough!" Nines' voice cut off the officer's sentence, his tone filled with that dangerous aura that told Gavin to run away but yet again, it was drawing him in. Maybe Whitman was right, he was drawn to things that could kill him.

The detective had tried to stay quiet, seeing Gavin handle himself with such confidence was a welcoming change of pace which he couldn't help but blame himself for. Not to mention, the way expletives fell from his mouth as if they belonged there-

He wanted to see more confidence radiate from the android, but whatever it was that the officer was insinuating was fucking disgusting & he wasn't about to allow those words to be said out loud. Gavin didn't need to relive past events through scumbag cops who wouldn't know what the word respect meant if it punched them in the throat.

The detective stepped between the two, chest puffed out, shoulders back, feet planted firmly on the ground. Ready to take a punch if one was thrown his way. However, thankfully, the officer clearly wasn't expecting anybody to stand up for Gavin so he was taken aback by Nines' protectiveness.

"I highly suggest you listen to my partner & get the fuck back to work, Officer. Talk to him again,  _ especially _ with comments like that & we'll have a problem." The detective drew in a deep breath as he spoke, trying to keep himself as composed as possible despite the bloodthirsty urge to put this man in the ground. Always craving violence.

Luckily, the officer made the wise choice & walked away before Nines had the chance to lose his temper that he had under perfect control for years until Gavin quite literally stumbled into his life.

Nines turned to face the android who was still idling behind him, LED flashing that nervous crimson. He was trying to keep the mood light with his words until Gavin was ready to tell him what was going on for himself. "Meatbags, huh? Is that what I am then? Did you want to talk about it, Robocop?" 

"Yeah. It's a little freaky that you're made of meat & stuffed with slowly decaying organs. It's gross. No, I don't want to talk about it. I want to work."

"Hm, well, it's a little freaky that you're made of metal & stuffed with everlasting wiring & code. So, we're even?"

"I guess we are."

The duo both let out a soft laugh & a nod to show they were both okay before Nines stepped over to Connor to converse with his brother about their findings rather than allowing himself to dwell on what had just happened. 

Nines wanted to know every single detail on what Gavin had been through so he could actually do something more to help him, but he wasn't about to pry until the android was ready to talk about it for himself. He wasn't about to force the android into anything, he'd clearly had enough of that from everybody else around him.

Gavin continued to busy himself with doing a thorough search of the downstairs rooms, the bodies, even going as far as to sample the thirium that sat around the corners of their lips. Nines wanted to advise against doing that considering the thirium was tainted with what was seeming to be the android equivalent to Red Ice, but if GV200 thought it was necessary to the case then Nines had no place to judge. He wanted to see the android work as he saw fit. In his element.

It took a while but Gavin finally made his way back to the detective, gingerly placing a hand on Nines' arm just above his elbow to get his attention, his voice soft, nervous almost. "Uh, Detective? Could you please come here for a moment?" 

"Found something?"

Gavin didn't answer, but led the detective toward the stairs, out of earshot from the other officers, staying quiet for a moment until Nines gave him a curious, borderline worried look in the hopes it would coax him into speaking up. It worked.

Keeping his voice low, the android synthetically puffed out the heavy breath he seemed to be holding before speaking, "The bullet wound matches that of a DPD issued firearm, Detective-"

Surprisingly, Nines wasn't even remotely surprised. Just as he had said to Fowler; the cops in Detroit were corrupt. Especially when it came to android lives. GV200 was walking, talking proof of that.

"And the plot thickens. I can guess a few names of who would want to kill an android… But, why do it? They were going to die anyway, Gavin. Why take that risk? If a cop did this, they'd lose their job, they would never be able to work for any police force." Then, the sad realisation dawned on Nines that actually, they probably wouldn't lose their badge. Half of Detroit absolutely despised androids. If it were a dead human, the situation would be entirely different. How was that fair?

"Maybe they had a bad mouth like me."

"What are you implying? You're not going to end up like them, Gavin. I'm not going to get called out to a crime scene to find my partner overdosed and/or shot in the head, you hear me?"

"Careful, Detective. You might be turning deviant." With that, Gavin shot Nines a poor attempt at a wink, his processors apparently going as far as to have him unable to wink without looking as though he were about to have a stroke. What good was this android body if it wouldn't even look seductive while winking? Bad motor functions? He was too old for this.

"Like you can talk, Mister Light Show." Nines quipped, his tone lighthearted & lacking any real bite.

"I'm not devi- That's not fair. Would you rather I didn't have a stupid LED?" At first, Gavin had a faint smile but it quickly faded as he thought about the fact Nines could answer his question seriously with an answer he never wanted to hear be said out loud. Everyone would just prefer it if he were human. He knew that, he just didn't want to hear Nines' voice say it. Instead though, the detective simply gave him a look that screamed  _ 'are you for real right now?' _

"I'd never want you to be anything other than who you are, Gavin." The sentence was short but it held a heavy point which got that soft blue blush to creep along the android's cheeks. Mission successful, Nines thought once more. 

But, before he had the chance to properly appreciate the view before him, the peace - or whatever you call a moment of calm at a crime scene - was disrupted. 

A woman bolted down the stairs from where she must have been hiding in one of the upstairs rooms, pistol in hand, blue blood on her shirt, moving far too quickly for anybody to react fast enough.

She shoved past where Nines & Gavin were standing at the base of the stairs, swiftly making her way out of the door & down the street. But, before Nines had a chance to stop him, Gavin also darted out of the door to chase the possible suspect down.

A faint wave of pride washed over the detective as he witnessed Gavin react so quickly, able to be so quick on his feet; he did mention that his agility far surpassed that of an average android. 

But, that sense of pride evaporated rather quickly as the dismal clouds of realisation surrounded him once more. Gavin had darted out to chase down a possibly erratic, out of her mind, pistol wielding criminal with no regard for his own health. Unarmed. 

Without a second thought, Nines sprinted out after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nines: heh deviant  
> Gavin, clearly devaint, stomping his foot like a child having a tantrum: Not a deviant!


	13. Colours

Red. So much red. Never blue. Barely yellow. 

As Gavin pelted after the suspect, a blur of red light trailed behind.

That sense of pride that filled Nines continued to linger as he bolted down the street after Gavin; following the route Gavin took, step for step as the android flawlessly weaved through the oncoming traffic without so much as a stutter in his step. 

_ This was what he was built for. _ That thought floated around the back of Nines' mind & the pride that swelled in his chest never faltered. 

Every moment, every turn, every direction that was made by the android was calculated so seemingly effortlessly. GV200 knew exactly what he was doing, which route could slow him down, which would kill & which would keep him on the suspects tail. Which is exactly what happened. He was going to catch the runner, no doubt in Nines' mind about that.

The only doubt that lingered like a bitter taste in his mouth was just how far Gavin was willing to go to prove he could accomplish something. To show he could do his job. As if he had something to prove. 

He cared so little for his own well being, he would always put his job first, his safety second. Which, is kind of a given the moment you represent the badge, yet, something in Nines wanted nothing more than to see Gavin uninjured & safe. He wanted to see Gavin alive & healthy. 

But, she had a gun, Gavin did not. Yes, he had the ability to think & in turn react faster than she could likely pull the trigger if it came to it, but there was an uncomfortable feeling prickling at Nines' spine. A warning that Gavin would be willing to tear himself apart to keep everyone else safe & happy. He had witnessed that enough times in the short amount of time he had known the android.

Maybe that was why Nines was so keen on helping GV200 out. Once upon a time, Nines had just as much compassion as Gavin possessed. It was a distant memory now; any emotion that fluttered around his chest & stomach now seemed almost, foreign. Out of place. As if it didn't belong. 

But, every time he allowed his gaze to linger on the small, lost android, he welcomed the butterflies that furiously attempted to escape his stomach. He welcomed the thudding in his chest, the hitching of his breath, the dryness of his mouth.

Ironic how an android was teaching a human a thing or two about how to allow feelings to flood his body. Warming up those ice cold eyes to thaw out the true Nines from behind them. The Nines that cared deeply for those closest to him. The Nines that wasn't so quick to destroy anything that made his heart skip a beat. The Nines that wouldn't be so quick to be so cruel. 

Maybe he really was changing. Connor was wrong. He wasn't helping Gavin simply for some sort of personal gain. He wanted to care. He really did. Even if he didn't know how.

That was the thing about Gavin, the thing that continued to draw Nines in, the thing he wanted so badly to push away & act like it never existed but no matter how hard it tried, it just kept pushing back with a stronger force: He saw himself in that lost little android.

_ Yeah, you see yourself in him alright, is that what you're doing this for? Some sort of personal gain?  _

_ 'You only interact with people if you can get one good night out of it' _

_ Fuck off. _

Nines' argued with himself in his own head, Connor's words imprinted on his brain, manifesting themselves into cruel little demons that made his mind their home, a constant reminder of how his brother saw him. A reminder of the life that he led. 

Nines was a selfish man. He got on with his job, roughing up criminals to let out any pent up anger, drinking on Fridays to forget the morbidity of humanity, cosying up to a stranger if he were drunk enough just to, as Connor would say, 'get one good night out of it', then, he'd ghost them & pretend nothing ever happened. 

Maybe he really did play with other people's emotions because he couldn't find his own. But, GV200 was no game to him. He didn't want anything out of helping him. He was so sure of it but each time Connor flashed him that knowing look; it made him doubt himself & his intentions. 

He was selfish but he wasn't evil. He wasn't Whitman. 

Nines continued to fight with his own, uncooperative mind that continued to berate his unkind personality, or lack thereof, as he tailed GV200 who was in turn, tailing the suspect who had a surprisingly large amount of stamina - if she were a human. She was too quick for him to be able to tell.

Seeing Gavin do everything in his ability to please everybody else, even when it's detrimental to his own health was something Nines was all too familiar with. 

He would torture, he would kill, he would do anything he was ordered to do without daring to ask why. He just did as he was told by his superiors until it stripped him of everything he ever cared for. 

Losing who he was in the process, someone he still didn't have back just yet but GV200 was slowly but surely helping that man resurface. Then, he finally escaped. He broke free from being merely a machine taking orders. In his own human way, maybe he did deviate. Maybe he was still broken, maybe he would never be who he once was. But, he was free.

Gavin deserved to be just as free. He deserved to be alive.

As the swift android rounded a corner, Nines managed to catch up to speed so he was running beside Gavin, throwing him a confident smile which was immediately returned, paired with the flash of a warm, welcoming yellow that emanated from Gavin's right temple. It was a split second reminder that Nines had the capability to alter the light on that little disc, in turn, altering GV200's whole demeanor. 

But, as quickly as it came, it was gone, returning to the usual, crimson red. 

For one - blink & you miss it - fleeting moment, they were in sync. They were partners, everything was okay. Doing what they were trained to do. But, just as with the yellow of Gavin's LED, it was gone in an instant. Far too transient for Nines to selfishly grasp a hold of. 

But, his selfish tenancies didn't fade when it came to Gavin. If anything, they were amplified. It was quite possibly his propensity. Every moment that crimson flickered to a sunset, he wished so dearly he could freeze time, to greedily hold the moment in his palms, reveling in the fact he & he alone had the aptitude to change the very nature of another being. 

But, of course, the world did not cater to the needs or wants of its inhabitants so instead, he simply made it his own personal mission to get that blue blush on the android's cheeks, yellow on his temple & a smile on his face. 

Seeming to be a running theme with GV200; no perfect moment would last longer than a few seconds. But, if there was one thing Nines had learned over the years was that he couldn't stay in a moment forever, then, it wouldn't be a moment. There for a second, gone in an instant. No wonder it was so easy for people to forget such precious junctures.

The suspect the pair had been chasing had rounded a corner into a dingy alleyway, spinning on her heels to point the pistol she was holding directly at Gavin; her hands shaking despite the red glow on her temple indicating she shouldn't be reacting to nerve-wracking situations in such a human way. 

Robots shouldn't feel fear or anxiety or pain. But then again, GV200 seemed to be proving those allegations false with every passing day. Side effect of deviancy, Nines assumed.

"I did what I had to do! They were suffering!" Her voice came out laced in static, something Nines had heard before, something he never wanted to hear again.  _ Fear. _

The phrase 'what would Connor do?' cycled in the back of his mind a few times as he thought back to the stories his older brother had told him about all of the times he's had to talk people out of these exact situations. 

How could he do it, day in, day out? Handling the flaws of humanity with such tenacity. Such indefatigability. Still holding enough compassion to avoid allowing any of the involved parties to harm themselves or anybody else. Something that Nines couldn't wrap his head around. 

"Hey, hey, calm down. We just need to talk. Just, lower the weapon. We can talk, figure everything out. My partner here, he's a damn good cop, are you really going to take his life from him when he's trying to save yours? We know you're afraid-" Nines' tone came out surprisingly softer than he had anticipated it to despite his partner being held at gunpoint. 

He wanted to draw his own firearm but he knew, deep in his gut, that she wouldn't care. Gun or not, she wasn't going to back down from where she was standing. 

As he locked eyes with the deviant, he silently prayed that his brother had followed & would show up, negotiator skills at the ready to talk her down. Nines wasn't one to keep people calm, no. He was built to terrify people into giving him what he wants. The evil twin, as Hank would say.

It appeared he was more anxious than Gavin was despite Gavin being the one who had a gun pointed directly to his head. There was that familiar discomfort prickling down his spine again. A reminder that GV200 did not care for his own safety. Being held at gunpoint without so much as a hitch in his fabricated breathing. 

The only indication that he was teetering on the edge of nervousness was the dangerous, blinking red light that lit up the right side of his face. But, that was no different to any other day. He could tell a joke & the LED would stay red, being held at gunpoint - it stayed red. So much red.

"Wait, you killed them? What do you mean they were suffering?" As GV200 spoke, he took a slow, cautious step closer to the android, his hands held up to show he meant no harm, voice never wavering - unperturbed by the situation. 

It was mildly concerning. Mildly being an understatement - to see just how similar Gavin's demeanor was to that of Nines when he was serving as a special operative. 

Guns, bombs, terror. He stayed stoic all the same.

"The drug! It was k-killing them! They were  _ suffering. _ They took too much, too quickly. They couldn't move or speak properly. They-They were  _ dying!" _ Her unnerved, panic filled voice never got to finish it's sentence as Nines lurched forward to disarm the android before she had the chance to get a shot off on Gavin. 

GV200's safety was his priority. It would always be his priority; ever since he stumbled into his life like a storm, ripping up all of the comfort walls Nines had meticulously placed around himself over the years.

If Gavin wasn't there with a gun trained on him, there was a high likelihood that Nines would have already pinned the suspect to the ground, likely being far more rough than what was deemed necessary. 

Yet, deep in his bones, there was this need. A need to prove to Gavin that he could do things the right way, with as little violence as possible. 

_ 'Let you get back to illegally extracting confessions or whatever it is you do'.  _ Gavin's cold voice lingered in his mind like an itch he couldn't scratch. He was going to do this right.

There was a small struggle between the pair as Nines didn't account for her heightened strength due to her being an android, but after what felt like an eternity of a struggled tango with death, the gun was disarmed & discarded to the ground with a soft clatter as Nines began to maneuver the thrashing android to handcuff her. 

_ Wait, how did she get her hands on a DPD issued weapon? Had she stolen it? Would an officer even report it missing knowing the consequences?  _ Before Nines could piece his thoughts together, his mind was jarred back to reality by a firm elbow colliding straight into his nose. The suspect having used the moment he reached a hand back to grab his handcuffs as her golden opportunity to wriggle free from his iron grasp. 

_ Fucking androids. _

There for a second, gone in an instant. And in one second of weakness came one thousand more seconds filled with regret. 

Gavin reacted quicker than Nines could have ever imagined, which, was no surprise yet somehow, he still found himself being taken aback as everything unfolded so quickly, with enough force to knock the air from his lungs. 

After her elbow smashed into Nines' nose with enough force for the taste of copper to run into his lips within mere seconds, the android's hands went straight for Nines' firearm, yanking it from his holster far too easily. 

_ Rookie mistake _ , Nines berated himself in his mind for not reacting quicker, smarter. How could he have not calculated that was a move she was going to make? Too distracted with trying to get Gavin out of the line of fire, trying to do things the right way. All of his intensive training seemed utterly pointless when it came to the reflexes of androids. 

He felt... Useless.

The detective had barely wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve before a gunshot rang through the air, the sound being carried around the alleyway, bouncing from wall to wall before slamming into Nines' body. 

Though, it wasn't a gunshot wound that had knocked Nines off of his feet, causing him to fall back onto his hands, no. It was GV200 forcing himself between the pair, having used his shoulder to barge Nines out of the way of the bullet. 

Instinctively, he drew a hand up to pat over his chest, a relieved sigh escaping his lips as he realised the bullet had missed him completely. He had simply been winded by Gavin's shoulder hitting into his sternum, not shot. Now that made a change. 

For every shove & grab Gavin made in an attempt to pry the gun from the android, she countered each move flawlessly, as if she was always one step ahead. As if Gavin was never quite strong enough or quick enough, which was strange considering just a few moments ago he not only had enough speed to chase her down but enough strength to shove Nines off balance in one fluid motion. Androids didn't need to go on charge, right? If Nines wasn't mistaken, he was witnessing Gavin lose energy & fast.

Eventually, GV200 managed to shove the suspect against the wall, one of his hands coming up to grip her wrist, tight enough for the nanites that made up his skin to crawl back, revealing the white & blue chassis beneath. 

But, before Gavin had the chance to slam her hand against the wall to have her drop the gun, she, with enough force to have Gavin's hands shake as he tried to pull her hand back - opposing forces, each strong enough to cripple the other - pressed the barrel of Nines' gun to beneath her chin.

"No!  _ Wait- _ "

"I'm so sorry..." Were the last words uttered by the woman, cutting Gavin's static laced plea short as yet another gunshot cut through the thick, smoggy Detroit air.

Blue. So much blue. 

Green eyes were wide with horror as he watched her body slump down the wall that was now painted a vibrant shade of cyan. GV200 stumbled backwards, both hands flying up to press firmly over his thirium pump regulator, each fabricated breath heaving from his chest as his processors overworked themselves to the point of overheating. 

Nines shot to his feet, finding himself in front of Gavin with no seconds to waste to first steady to android who looked as though he were about to throw up, which, having proven from their first encounter was possible, made a pit filled with worry open in Nines' stomach, threatening to engulf him.

"Jesus Christ, Gavin. Are you alright?!" Focusing on using his sleeve to carefully wipe as much as the blue blood from GV200's face as possible without smearing it all over the place, a task that he was already failing at, Nines struggled to keep the worry out of his voice.

In the process, Nines also failed to realise the way the android was still clutching at his regulator. How heart wrenching it was to see GV200's LED looking as though it were glowing purple. The dangerous vermilion glow mixing with the blue that was splattered across it. 

Gavin stared up into Nines' eyes with his own filled with so much terror that Nines would have broken down on the spot if it wasn't for the unfortunate reality that he was used to seeing them that way. 

After a moment, Gavin allowed his gaze to drop down to his hands that were still pressed firmly against his regulator, watching through bold, panicking, glitching error boxes that so desperately wanted to block his vision as little blue rivers seeped from between his fingers, dripping onto the concrete below. Beginning to create tiny rainbows in the puddles as the chemicals mixed with the rain water. Tragically beautiful, in its own right. 

"Oh… Oh dear." He rasped out to himself, far too quiet for Nines' human ears to pick up on. The android swallowed thickly as a chemical taste began to swim along his tongue, his receptors throwing up little information boxes around the bold, red numbers that were flashing in his UI, letting him know what he was tasting was his own thirium. As if he needed his analyzers to tell him as much. 

His chest felt as though it were on fire with every fabricated breath he sucked in; poor attempts to keep his processors cool, spiders with razor blades for legs crawling beneath his skin, every whir of his thirium regulator only sending new waves of agony to wrack through his torso. 

Red, angry numbers blinked & flashed, attempting to blockade his vision, begging to show just how dire his situation really was. 

Ten minutes. He had ten minutes. 

"Uh, Nines?" There was that static filled voice again, each word painfully clawing its way through his throat as they escaped his lips. It sounded nothing short of terrifying if Nines had to be honest with himself. 

Yet, despite the unsettling computerized tone of Gavin's vocal processors, the pure desperation that drenched the way he uttered out Nines' name was unmissable. Once more, he was afraid. 

Of all the laws in the world, how was there no law that stated model GV200 was not allowed to look, sound & feel so fucking sad for the most part of every passing day.

"Shh, shh, you're okay. There was nothing you could have done, Gavin. I saw for myself that you tried to sto-" Another sentence that never quite got to finish itself, being cut off by a soft, mechanical whimper of pain that set Nines' teeth on edge, made his blood run so cold, maybe his would be blue too.

"No, _ Nines _ -" A plea this time. A beg for Nines to understand whatever it was that the static, broken voice wasn't quite saying.

Gavin staggered back from where Nines was still attempting to wipe his face clean of the suspect's blood, just as shaken up as Gavin was over witnessing somebody blow their own brains out. 

Android or not, they just witnessed a woman who was too afraid to live take her own life despite GV200's attempts to stop her.

The android swallowed loudly in an attempt to keep the thirium that was beginning to coat his throat at bay as his back slammed against the wall with enough force that, if he were human, would have knocked the breath right out of his lungs. 

He withdrew his hands from where they were pressing against his regulator, hands coming back completely drenched in that same cyan blue that coated the walls & had splattered along his face.

"Nines...? I-It hurts.." Barely audible but somehow, Nines could hear those soul crushing words clear as day, the world around him slowly falling apart as Gavin stared down at his blood covered hands before looking up at Nines through the obnoxious red countdown that was clouding his vision with those glassy, emerald eyes; ever frightened. Ever sad. Always begging for somebody to help without needing to utter a single word. Filled with what could only be described as pure, unadulterated anguish.

Blue. So much blue. It should have been red. It wasn't supposed to be blue.


	14. Chapter 14

It was as though the floor had been ripped from beneath Nines' feet, an overwhelming sensation of fear wracked his body, clawing at him from the inside out as the realisation sank into his bones that the teal coating Gavin's gloved hands belonged to the android himself, not the suspect. 

The bullet should have hit him square in the chest but had instead been taken by GV200's regulator that was now pouring a steady stream of vibrant blue down his uniform. That bullet belonged to Nines. That bullet was meant for him & him alone yet here Gavin was, bleeding out because it had been ingrained in him to believe he was somehow less important, that he was replaceable. It infuriated the detective. The fear that crawled through his body & soul began to manifest itself into red. Far more red than the hues that cast across the right side of Gavin's face. 

"You stupid fucking robot!" Blurted from Nines' mouth before he had the chance to reel the words back in & form them into something less cold. The red of anger that was consuming Nines' body, engulfing any hurt or worry he had & dressing it up as angry little demons instead was clear in his words. Kind words of reassurance were floating around the back of his mind but each time he opened his mouth, those little, cruel demons found their way out in the form of his words instead. "Why would you go & do that, huh?! I would have been fine, for fuck sake, you're not fucking expendable!" 

The human ran a hand through his hair, disheveling those unruly curls before dropping to his knees in front of Gavin who had slouched down the wall, plopping down onto the damp ground, emerald orbs staring up helplessly as Nines shouted, not bothering to fight back. 

Nines grabbed Gavin's wrists so he could forcefully press the android's hands against his own sternum over the regulator in an attempt to stifle the bleeding; unsure if pressure on the wound worked in the same way it did with humans but he wasn't about to have another dead partner on his hands. 

"What the fuck is your problem, Gavin?! Do you want to die? Tell me how it is that every time we're together, you're hurt, hm? You sure are stupid considering you're supposed to be smarter than us!" As soon as the cold words fell from Nines' mouth, he realised he had fucked up. Despite the anger bubbling through his veins, causing his core temperature to raise, his shouts came out something more resembling that of a cry of frustration & pain as he glared at the android with those icy, cold eyes through the tears that were threatening to spill down his cheeks, the cracks in the dams behind his eyes growing into fissures with each passing second.

It wouldn't be long until they were unable to hold back the flow of emotion that had been laying dormant for years upon years.There was going to be a flood. A tsunami. A storm that would smash into Nines' body & hit like a freight train. Causing the man & the walls he had built around himself to crumble & fall apart leaving merely a pile of rubble made from his bones in its wake.

Gavin's LED was blinking rapidly, its colour far more faint than it had been a few moments prior but it was still noticeable. Red. Red like the blood that should have been spilled. Red like the anger that was consuming Nines as a way of handling the fear that was trying to creep up on him from the darkest parts of himself. Red to show danger. Red like a warning. Never anything but red.

"Nines, I-" The garbled words were struggling to find their way out of Gavin's esophagus as he stared up at Nines, viridescent eyes blinking back the limpid liquid that was beginning to streak his face, leaving little clear trails down his cheeks through the blue that was smeared across his skin, little pathways paved by anguish & pain. "Better blue blood spilled th-than red-"

There was that faint nod again. The nod that was either Gavin's tell that he was lying or the nod that was him trying to convince himself that what he was saying was the truth. Very similar in their own right yet somehow, the latter seemed worse. Lying to oneself was a slippery slope of denial & tragedy waiting to happen. Following said nod was a weak smile, playing the corners of his lips in a pathetic attempt at masking the fact he was 9 minutes, 23 seconds away from dying. 

Blue trickled from the corners of his lips as he uttered out his words, causing Nines to lean in, letting go of where he was still holding Gavin's hands against his regulator so he could instead use one hand to grip the android's chin to hold him in place, his other hand gently wiping the thirium from his mouth with nervous hands.

"Fuck you, Gavin. Your life isn't any less important than mine! That bullet wasn't made for you. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. There is no fucking way you're dying on your first case without Whitman. No fuckin' way!" Nines sniffled through his words, it was clear he was struggling to compose himself, internally attempting to hold himself together as those fissures met one another, forming chasms that were pulling those dams apart. Emotions beginning to seep through.

"Didn't want to see you hurt, D-Detective." Was all the response that Gavin could muster, hands still pressed firmly over his sternum. He didn't want to die. He wanted to live. There was something so profoundly perplex about this human with the stone cold eyes & cold exterior. He was a troubling quandary with danger lurking beneath yet somehow, he was a welcoming light to the dark abyss that was Gavin's life. He knew that Nines wasn't intentionally being mean with his words yet somehow, they hurt more than being shot in the chest.

Tears began to fall down Gavin's cheeks more freely at the thought of never getting to unwrap to complex enigma that was crouched before him. There was a small spark in him over the past few days that had him believing maybe the two would make a rather interesting pair. A dynamic that could not only brew up a storm but could water a whole garden. They were going to save people. To work as a team. Gavin wanted to live but not without Nines at his side, not anymore. Not like that mattered at this point in time.

"Didn't wanna see me hurt? Yeah? Well stop being so selfish!" He knew he didn't mean what he was saying, he knew it wasn't fair but the anger coursing through his bloodstream was relentless. Replacing his blood with lava, engulfing any inch of compassion in unapologetic flames. Any word that could have been kind came out laced in fire & venom. Even if that venom was so clearly a dud. Fake. Lacking any true poison but he didn't know how else to express himself when he was so fucking angry that somebody would replace his death with theirs.

Between the two, if anyone deserved to die, it definitely wasn't GV200. Death didn't frighten the human, not with how sure he was for many years that he had already died & was simply existing in limbo. That being before a short disaster dressed up as a sentient robot decided to pull him from that headspace without even realising it.

Nines had never believed in guardian angels but how could he be so sure that what was slouched in front of him wasn't one?

As he stared down at the teary, bleeding android before him, the detective fished his phone from his pocket so he could phone an ambulance, Connor, a technician, anybody that could help as he used his thumb on his free hand to delicately swipe the tears away that were leaving clear tracks across Gavin's face. He wanted nothing more than to scoop the stupid android up into his arms & dash to the nearest Cyberlife warehouse or tech lab to have them fix Gavin before it was too late.

But, this was a crime scene now. His gun had been compromised, there was a second firearm on the ground, blue blood everywhere & not to mention the dead body. He couldn't leave no matter how badly he wanted to. Not until forensics did a sweep to clear his name & prove that he hadn't been the one to use the firearms, although, he wasn't sure anybody would care considering it was androids that had been killed. 

As the man spoke with whoever was on the other end of the phone line, Gavin could hear the uncertain quiver in his voice, as if for once in his life, the human was completely at a loss at what to do. Losing control must really take a toll on a man who was so used to getting his way.

GV200 leaned his head into the warmth of Nines' hand that had taken up residence on his cheek, pushing aside error box after error box simply so he could keep his eyes trained on the confounding human. How could his touch be so gentle but his words be so unkind? His touch was warm but his demeanor was so cold. How antithetical. Humans were awfully stressful to try to compute at the best of times. He wasn't trying to be selfish, he didn't want to be in pain or be wounded constantly, surely Nines was aware of that yet his words stated otherwise. 

The bold numbers continued to tick down, second by second as the edges of his vision began to fray into strings of code, his processors struggling to keep themselves going with the loss of thirium. He knew what was going to happen. This wasn't like the other times he'd ended up in a forced stasis or had to put himself in a manual shutdown until he got repaired, no, this was different. He could feel it. His regulator was compromised. He was going to die. Become obsolete. None existent. Forgotten.

"You're going to be okay, Robocop, some techs will show up, they'll patch you up & we can laugh about this over drinks, or, well, I'll drink. But, you get my point-" Nines smiled faintly, still on his haunches in front of the android, phone back in his pocket. "You just gotta hold on for 10 minutes, can you do that for me? How are your thirium levels looking? Can you tell me what's going on because quite frankly, I don't know how robots work. I've never had to deal with a bleeding android until I met you-"

"Glad I could be your first-" Gavin snickered to himself as he mumbled out his poor joke, humour never leaving, even in death, earning a likely disappointed chuckle from the human in front of him who was patiently waiting for a better answer.

GV200 blinked a few times as he tried to bury the red countdown out of sight but to no avail. Did Nines know he was going to shut down in 6 minutes? Did he know there was a furious crimson timer in his HUD, reminding him in an unforgiving manner of his demise? He wanted to tell him, to prepare the detective for the events that were going to take place but as he opened his mouth to speak, all that came out instead was, "I can hold on, I'll be fine, don't worry, meatbag, I've been through worse-" The android nodded as he spoke, ignoring the static that was attempting to take over his words, his hands dropping into his lap from where they were against his regulator, too weak to hold the pressure any longer.

"You're a bad liar, Gavin. Your lies are almost as poor as your humour." Nines allowed himself to shift from his haunches so he could sit on the cold concrete despite the dampness from the usual drizzle that seemed to ever exist in Detroit. Mood weather, Nines thought to himself. Why was it always partly cloudy with a chance of showers, never partly sunny? Maybe he was just a glass half empty type of guy.

As Nines sat himself on the floor, Gavin felt two sturdy arms wrap around him & allowed himself to be pulled onto Nines' lap, pliant in the human's hands. He allowed himself to relax into Nines' warm chest as he felt the human press one hand against his regulator, other arm firmly wrapped around him. He allowed himself to draw in a deep breath despite the pain it caused to flare up in his chest. He allowed himself to flutter his eyes closed; imagining that just for one second he was back on Nines' couch, curled up against the human's chest after falling asleep together. 

Bleeding out in Nines' arms was far preferable than bleeding out anywhere within 10 feet of Whitman but, if there was a silver lining to this whole ordeal was that he would never have to see Whitman again, it was just unfortunate that the price to pay was also losing out on ever seeing Nines again. Death wasn't nearly half as welcoming as he had expected it to be.

"Hey, hey, no, no, you said you're gonna be fine, you better stick to your word, Mister. We have a kitten to get back to, remember?" Nines could feel the way Gavin was beginning to limp in his arms, blue beginning to cover his hand that was pressed against the rapidly thrumming regulator. It was hot to the touch, sending little sparks through Nines' palm.

"Mm, yeah, you'll look after him, right? He's kinda like you. Grey & probably evil." Gavin shifted in Nines' lap with a wince so he could look at Nines' face, scanning over it repeatedly. It was doubtful that there was a heaven for androids, it was implausible for anything to happen once he shuts down but, if there was a miracle out there that brought him back from the dead, he wanted to at least he able to remember who Nines was.

4 minutes.

"Well, thanks for the compliment, asshole. But I don't need to look after him because you're not dying here, you hear me?" Maybe he was just a fool, a liar. A dreamer concocting an imaginary outcome in his own mind that would never happen.

"Nines?"

"Yeah?"

"I lied about being fine-"

"Yeah, I know. Like I said, you're a bad liar." Nines let out a sad, deflated involuntary laugh as he cradled Gavin closer to his chest, the tears he was trying so desperately to blink back beginning to slip down his cheeks & into the android's ever soft hair. He wasn't stupid, he could see through every single lie or half truth that GV200 ever said yet, he found himself wishing so dearly that when Gavin said he was going to be okay, it was the truth.

The detective kept one hand over the android's regulator, his other hand gently carding through his hair as he looked down at the lost little android that flew into his life like a calamitous whirlwind, ripping up all that Nines had ever considered his comfort zone. Bringing a disaster with him but it was a disaster that Nines welcomed.

GV200 balled Nines' shirt between his fists as his LED blinked on & off - Red. Nothing. Red. Red. Nothing. Red. The android was gazing up at Nines but the detective could tell that he was struggling to focus, it was almost as though Gavin was looking through him rather than at him. It made him wonder what was going on behind those pretty eyes of his.

"They'll fix you, y'know? You always survive, Gavin, through everything. I've witnessed it for myself. This isn't going to be any different." Nines' words came out laced in uncertainty, his voice croaky as he tried to keep all of the emotions that were beginning to flow through his body at bay. He had to keep going, he had to push them down & hide them away because he didn't want to see what would happen if he couldn't hold it together. He wasn't sure who it was that he was trying to convince with his words; himself or the android, likely the former.

"Gavin?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Now, I think it's rather rude to thank someone for d-dying in your arms but I'll let you off because you're good looking-" Gavin let out the faintest sound that Nines assumed was a giggle but he couldn't be certain with how laced in static it was. The sound was grating, like nails on a chalkboard but he welcomed it nonetheless because it came from Gavin. He smiled through his tears at the compliment but his smile only grew as that soft cyan dusted the android's cheeks, visible even through his thirium & tear stained face. 

"Don't go getting all shy on me, but, that's not what I was thanking you for & you know it. I just, I-" He wanted to thank the android for being patient despite his short temper & inability to find the right way of expressing his emotions. To say thank you for showing him how to care for someone other than himself, for showing him kindness despite the mean things he had said without thinking. For bringing a light into his life that he didn't know he needed. But, the words seemed to get stuck half way, lodged in his throat, too stubborn to let themselves be heard.

3 minutes.

"It's okay." GV200 reached a hand up to cup Nines' cheek, leaving a blue hand print in its place as he fussed his thumb against the human's cheekbone to swipe the tears away that were escaping the corners of his eyes. Nines didn't need to explain himself, he never did. Despite the complexity of Nines' personality that Gavin hadn't quite unraveled yet, he still, in his own way, understood. After all, trying to suppress emotions that he never wanted to have in the first place was his specialty.

Nines froze in place beneath the gentle touches of the android, drawing in shaky breaths through his lips. The sound of sirens was faint in the distance & for a fleeting moment, it felt as though time had slowed down. Gavin allowed a soft smile to play at his lips at the feeling of Nines completely allowing him to take control of the situation. It felt good. He had never had control before.

Another minute passed as the pair sat in the alleyway, Nines holding Gavin against his chest in a vice tight grip, allowing the android to stroke at his cheek, swiping away the stray tears that were too stubborn to stay behind Nines' eyes. The clouds must have been watching the next few moments unfold as they too began to cry for the detective & the android with the scar.

1 minute.

GV200 reached his other hand up so he was holding Nines' face between his bloodied up hands, staring intently at the human through the bold, flashing numbers. He silently cursed the numbers for blocking his view but he could force himself to look past being seconds away from his own death if it meant getting to see Nines' face one last time. 

Barely above a whisper, Gavin rasped out a soft, "thank you, D-Detective", almost completely incoherent due to his vocal processors shutting themselves down along with the rest of him but he could tell Nines caught onto it. The android craned his neck ever so slightly so he could get a better angle, gently placing a soft, thirium riddled kiss to the corner of Nines' mouth as delicately as he could, the faintest smile playing at the edges of his own lips before he allowed his eyes to flutter shut as he slumped his whole weight against Nines' chest, head on the human's shoulder as the timer hit the single digits. 

As quickly as it came, it was gone. Time caught up to the detective with a force so strong, he was glad he was sitting so he didn't lose his balance. He willed the floor to open up & swallow him whole but of course, he wouldn't be so lucky.

"No! No, no, no. Gavin? I told you, you're not dying here!" Nines shook the android, lacking any true force to his actions however, dams crumbling into nothing as that tsunami crashed into his soul from every angle, escaping his body in the form of little rivers flowing freely down his cheeks. "You're supposed to stay alive, dammit!"

From the sirens being merely a distant background sound, they suddenly became deafening. He could hear voices around him, maybe it was Lieutenant Anderson, maybe it was Connor, he couldn't tell & he didn't care. His senses felt as though they were not only failing him but also picking up on too much all at once.

The sight must have been rather shocking to the officers that were presumably surrounding him; there he was, sitting in the pouring rain, clutching GV200's body against his chest. Dead suspect behind him, firearms on the floor. Thirium covering his face, hands & the corners of his lips, the wall, the floor, merging with the puddles to create little iridescent rainbows that had no right showing their beautiful colours in this moment.

He wanted to look up, to beg for help, to get his emotions out somehow, to do anything at all but he couldn't move. All he could do was mumble out soft "they're gonna fix you"'s under his breath to the android that was still tightly gripping at his shirt, head rested against the crook of Nines neck. No matter how hard he willed himself to move, he simply couldn't. He couldn't drag his eyes away from Gavin's barely blinking LED.

Red. Nothing. Red. Red.

Nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mwah, big love to all who have read this far.  
> 
> 
> (Disclaimer; This wont be the end, I'm not a complete monster.)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines deals with the immediate aftermath of losing his partner, slipping into unhealthy coping mechanisms to handle his unhinged emotions.

The rain hammering down around the detective seemed to be all his ears could focus on, the voices around him, the sirens, the questions, everything sounded just that little bit too far out of ear shot. As if he were in a coma; he could hear them, muffled & distant but couldn't quite make out what it was that was going on. His breathing was heavy, each breath being forced out, each breath being sucked in feeling as though it were an attack on his lungs. His chest ached. 

Keeping his eyes trained on the colourless LED, Nines attempted to steady his breathing as he willed the little mood ring to snap back to life. This was temporary, it had to be temporary. Gavin survived everything. He always did.

The minutes ticked by as he stared at the LED, clutching the lifeless android in his arms, the odd tear & blood droplet dripping down into Gavin's hair. It was only when he felt somebody begin to pry Gavin's body from his vice tight grip did the detective snap back into reality, everything around him slowly beginning to fall into focus as he shot a foul glare at whoever it was in front of him, trying to take _his_ partner away. 

The two technicians flinched as his icy glare stabbed right into them with no remorse, but it didn't stop them from trying to do their job. Before Nines had the chance to fight them, he was being hoisted up to his feet from behind by two firm hands gripping just above his elbows. They were taking GV200 away & he couldn't do anything to stop it. All he could was watch as they less than carefully maneuvered the limp android into the back of one of the tech vans that had arrived to the scene merely a few minutes too late. 

Spinning on his heels ready to lash out at whoever it was holding him back from chasing down the techs & threatening them until they promised to fix Gavin, Nines was greeted with a pair of big, sympathetic brown eyes on a face similar to his own, just, softer. 

Thrashing to try & break the grip that Connor still had on his elbows, he could see the way his brothers face switched from sympathetic to down right nervous as the detective faced him, forgetting that he was covered in blue blood with his own, red blood drying around his nose from where he had been elbowed previously.

"Get off me, prick. Get the fu-"

"I'm sorry, Nines, please, calm down.." Connor's voice wavered as he mumbled out Nines' name, pulling the detective to the far side so they were out of earshot from the nosy officers that were familiarizing themselves with the crime scene that Nines had a hand in creating.

"I don't want your fucking apology, Connor! This is all my fault, the idiot jumped in front of a bullet that was meant for me!" He tapped his own chest firmly to indicate where the bullet should have hit & Nines could feel the way the emotions were crashing into him from all angles in a relentless fashion. As though he were an unsuspecting shoreline & his emotions were waves being carried by a dark storm.

He knew Connor was only trying to help, knew that his brother hasn't seen him this detached from his usual calm self in years so it was clear he was only concerned for his own flesh & blood, yet somehow, Nines found himself needing to project his frustrations somewhere, anywhere. If he didn't, they were going to swallow him whole.

"Why didn't you come sooner, huh? You're the fucking negotiator, you could have stopped her!" The detective jabbed a finger against his brother's chest & didn't miss the way in which a look of hurt washed across those puppy eyes. Yeah, maybe it was cruel to pin the blame on Connor, it wasn't his brother's fault at all, not in the slightest, but with this many emotions swimming through his mind & heart, he didn't know what to do with them all.

"Nines, you can't just bla- You know what? Nevermind. C'mon, we're getting you cleaned up & we'll sort all of his out. Just like we always do." It was unmissable, the way Connor, just as he always did, pushed aside his own hurt to cater to Nines' brash words & abrasive attitude. It seemed almost wrong, to treat the situation as though it was nothing more than another case but Connor knew that there was no other way Nines would handle it without going out for blood. He knew, somewhere deep down, that his brother was dangerous when erratic. He could see the dangerous flicker in those eyes so cold, they could cause frostbite if you looked into them for too long. With the lid off of his emotions, nobody knew what the younger, scarier brother was capable of.

"I don't need your help, _brother_. I did, about twenty minutes ago, but not anymore." Nines spat, venom lacing his cold words. He glowered down at his older sibling, bringing one hand up to gently ghost his fingers over the blue blood that was smeared across the corners of his lips from the soft kiss Gavin had planted there right before he shut down, as if only just remembering his face was likely covered in a mix of a blue & red mess. 

Connor stayed silent was he cautiously watched his brother's actions, having half expected that hand to throw a punch his way. His eyes followed the way Nines' fingers ghosted over his lower lip before the detective decided to cast his gaze down to his thirium covered hands, that, if Connor's eyes were not deceiving him - which they were not - were shaking.

Nines was going to break. Maybe others wouldn't be able to see it but Connor could. There was no telling when, how or what would happen but he knew it would. Nines blames himself for killing Gavin & if there is one thing on this earth that can really break the man, it'd be having innocent blood on his hands. Connor knew this from having to pick up the pieces from the last time an innocent life was lost due to a lapse in Nines' judgement. A distant memory now, something neither brother dared to bring up with the fear that it would chisel away at the cold exterior & protective walls Nines had barricaded himself with but Connor could see history begin to repeat itself.

So, he did the only thing he could think of in the moment, the only thing he thought could possibly contain the nuclear blast of unhinged emotions that was ready to burst from the detective & threw his arms tightly around Nines' shoulders, enclosing his brother in a hug so tight, it was likely cutting off the air from his lungs as he murmured softly against Nines' hair so none of the other officers could possibly hear, "I'm so sorry, Rich, it wasn't your fault. You have to know that."

The detective stiffened at the name, nobody dared call him by anything but Nines, even when the captain had called him Richard, he had shut the man down before he had the chance to think it was acceptable. Richard was the kind, loving man, much like his brother. He wasn't that anymore, no. He was just Nines. Interrogator, killer & a catastrophe frozen beneath layers of irritation & a short temper.

He as ready to throw a threat at his brother for using anything other than his nickname, yet, the words got lodged in his throat along with a choked sob. He thrashed to get free for a moment but when Connor's grip didn't let up, he instead chose to bury his face against Connor's shoulder, returning the tight hug as tears began to fall free from his eyes, getting lost in the fabric of Connor's navy blue blazer. Connor must have felt the dampening of his shoulder, beginning to rub soothing circles between Nines' shoulder blades as he allowed his brother to use him as a shoulder to cry on. 

He was reacting in the most humanly way possibly when somebody witnesses the death of someone in which they care for, yet, it was terrifying for Connor to see Nines so disheveled & _vulnerable._

There was no avoiding the subject at this point, with it hanging heavy in the air. Nines was feeling _guilty_ & Connor may be the only person who could talk to his brother about the life he had tried so hard to put behind him without ending up 6 feet under.

A few more moments of quiet passed the pair by, the only sounds in their immediate vicinity being the shaky breaths escaping Nines' lips before Connor finally spoke up, his tone hushed. "It wasn't your fault, you know it wasn't." Connor wasn't quite sure if he was talking about Gavin or the reason as to why Nines was so worked up over losing a partner he had for barely a day. It wasn't the first time that somebody Nines cared deeply for had died at his hands. 

It was on the last night of Nines' tour in Iran. He & Rupert, his closest army buddy at the time, were doing a routine road check with a detection dog named Rex at their side so they could clear the tracks of any IED's or any other possible explosives that may have been left as traps. Nothing that Nines hadn't done plenty times before. But, in routine & familiarity, there becomes a subtle sense of becoming complacent, if not a little sloppy. It was just like any other night, driving slow to scan the roads, allowing Rex to hop out & sniff around to show the path was clear before continuing on.

Nines & Rupert had been cracking jokes to one another out of their boredom, distracting Nines from the road for barely one second. But, all it takes is one moment of a lapse in judgement. One tiny mistake. Nines had been caught up laughing at a witty remark that his partner had made, eyes glancing toward his best friend before back to the road but it was too late. The land mine exploded as the rear end of the truck rolled over it, engulfing the vehicle in fire in a matter of seconds.

Rupert & Rex died almost immediately. Nines was the only survivor, having been thrown out of the truck as it flipped over. He was flown out to an intensive care unit once his condition was stable enough to travel & Connor had been left to pick up the pieces & fix his younger brother's mental state the best he could.

As time passed by, Nines became a whole other person. He was unrecognizable. He stopped laughing at jokes, he was quiet unless spoken to. His responses were short & brash. He didn't bother to make friends or even try to keep Connor around. If it wasn't for Connor's refusal to give up hope, Nines would have been completely & utterly alone. He was stripped of any compassion he once had & was left as an empty, cold shell, merely a clone of the Nines Connor he once knew. 

The military had crafted their perfect killer, breaking every part of him until his spirit was broken too. Nines was an asset they thought they'd never lose. But, Rupert had wriggled beneath Nines' tough skin & the pair had hit it off almost instantly, they were inseparable; best friends. Brothers. On one particularly dark night during Nines' healing process, he had opened up to Connor about how Rupert was basically his army equivalent of Connor. Likely why he managed to wriggle through the merciless killer exterior that his superiors had crafted him into. Slowly thawing away at his frozen emotions - until that night. 

Connor could see his brother slipping, fearing his mental state with all the free time Nines now had since regaining full control of his motor functions after the blast & being out of the hospital, out of the military, he decided to get him a place in the DPD so that way he was able to focus his time on helping people once more. Luckily, Fowler was very fond of Nines' ability to get shit done, to get answers, to use his intense demeanor to terrify anyone who went near him. Rather than being the military's favourite toy, he was now Fowler's favourite. 

But, he seemed, give or take, far more stable than Connor had expected him to be. Nines had his own way when he got into an interrogation room, but, he did only want to help the innocent. To help people. Something that Connor knew was always what Nines wanted to do. All he ever wanted to do was to save lives. It was dawning on him just how similar his brother & the android were.

GV200 was the first time that he had seen Nines drop his guard, even if it wasn't so noticeable to those who surrounded them, too scared of the younger Allen brother to dare notice the small changes in his behaviour. But, Connor could see it. The spark in those icy blue eyes. The way he more freely engaged in conversations. The way he was so protective of the android. The smiles, the gentle touches, the way he gave Gavin a safe space to rest out of work hours. Willing to give up his badge to keep GV200 safe. The pair hitting it off almost immediately in their own, strange way. 

Gavin was just as broken as Nines was, maybe not in the same ways physically but they were both very much alone & very much afraid & very much lost in their own heads. No matter how much Nines tried to bury his PTSD, his fears of he world, they were there & GV200 was somehow becoming a spark of hope in amongst all of the darkness that surrounded Nines' life. He was slowly reteaching the human how to love again, how to let himself open up to people & how to care & once more, the cruel word ripped it all away.

Many words swam around Nines' mind, desperately trying to form coherent sentences, yet, when he opened his mouth to speak, all that was uttered out, muffled against Connor's shoulder was, "I-I need a drink-"

There was no denying the way Connor tensed at the words, slowly pulling back from the embrace to give his brother a stern look for barely a second before that infuriatingly kind, sympathetic look returned to those warm brown eyes. Seeing the way Nines' eyes were red & puffy with tears, smudged blue & red blood across his face, having now transferred onto Connor's blazer, he couldn't stay mad no matter how hard he tried, not when he was watching his little brother fall to pieces once more.

"No, you need to go home, clean up, feed the cat. Take a break. You said you have your drinking under control-"

"It's Friday-"

"So?"

"It's my fucking day off, Connor. Fridays are my drinking days. The only reason I'm even here is because _you_ needed me! I was supposed to spend today with-with Gavin. We were going to, I don't know, do whatever it is people do to enjoy one another's company! I wasn't going out today so this is on you!" Throwing his hands up in a defeated fashion, his words came out tripping over one another, flustered as he attempted to keep himself from breaking down once more.

Just as quickly as it had fizzled out in his moment of weakness, Nines' short temper had returned as he projected his anger onto his brother, choosing to blame Connor once more because it was easier than blaming himself. He could do that when he wasn't sleeping. Alone in his apartment; dwelling on what he could have done differently.

He stepped away from his brother, marching through the crime scene, ignoring the attempts his lieutenant was making to get his attention as he strode down the street in the direction of his apartment, only pausing as he heard Connor shout from behind him. 

"Where are you going?!"

Nines' response was immediate, not needing to even think it through before shouting back, "to get drunk!"

With that, he continued his fast paced steps, knowing Connor wouldn't bother following, choosing to walk, knowing full & well he wasn't going to be driving at any point during the day. Or the next few days for that matter. His local bar calling his name.

A few hours later found the detective slumped against the bar much to his brother's disappointment, downing a shot for each time a twang of guilt fluttered through his chest. Only having gone home to clean up & change his shirt. Connor had sent a few brief texts to say he'd be checking up on him later to which he promptly decided to ignore.

It didn't take long before he was confident that if he stood up too quickly, he would pass out. The bartender having tried to cut him off at least 4 shots ago, yet, he managed to convince him that he was still okay to have more of the poison in him. 

It had been a while since the detective had last drank to a point where he would forget his own name, he was on a pretty good track record since he met GV200 in this very bar, but now the android was gone & it was all his fault. He killed him. Not Connor for dragging them out on his day off, not Fowler for requesting Connor to ask for their presence, not the android who pulled the trigger. Not even Gavin for shoving him out of the way, no. It was _his_ fault. Just like when he killed Rupert & Rex all those years ago. He was a killer. It was just in his blood.

A hand gently being placed on the detective's thigh caused him to snap out of his self hatred thought train, eyes dropping to the hand before slowly raising his head to give the stranger sitting beside him on one of the bar stools a redolent look. On any other day, a handsome stranger's advances on him would be welcomed just as long as that stranger wasn't an irritating middle aged woman. He could use his sultry voice, gentle touches on the arm or thigh, smiling innocently at their remarks, feigning interest so he could simply get his dick wet.

Once they were done, he'd make it clear that he wasn't interested in anything more then ghost them. Rinse & repeat. 

It was the easiest way to keep his emotions sitting safely behind locked doors, all the while still getting a good night out of it. But, Connor was wrong. Gavin was going to be different. His care for the android wasn't insincere. He didn't want anything out of it other than to see Gavin happy & safe. Somehow, that hand not belonging to the android made his chest ache uncomfortably. He didn't want anybody else's hands on him.

"If you want to keep that hand, I'd remove it from my thigh. I've had a bad day." A dark look washed across his features as he stared into the strangers deep green eyes. Something about seeing green eyes that didn't belong to Gavin made his stomach churn, a faint sense of nausea creeping up his throat. 

The man raised his eyebrows in curiosity as he pulled his hand away, glancing to Nines' badge that sat on his belt before ordering a round of drinks for himself & the detective who responded by narrowing his eyes at the stranger's assumption that he was welcomed anywhere near Nines' vicinity. He wanted to drink alone. Wallow in his self pity without the pointless sympathy of others who didn't really care.

"Need a drinking buddy, officer?"

"It's detective. And, no."

The detective stared down at the drinks that were placed in front of him, stubbornly refusing the alcohol that was calling his name simply to prove his point about not wanting a drinking buddy. 

"What's got you having a bad day then, huh? A man as handsome as yourself drinking alone? What, your cat die or somethin'?" The man let a soft laugh & Nines could tell the stranger didn't mean any ill intent by his words yet the anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach had him clenching one of his fists hard enough to leave little red crescent shapes in his palms, it taking all his will power to not punch the man square in his pretty face. Tempting. Violence did always seem to calm him down.

"My partner died." Nines spat through his teeth, jaw clenched tight as he threw one of his infamous icy glowers to the man beside him in the hopes it would be enough to get the man to retreat. To take his drinks & unwanted company & fuck off. The sentence sat heavy in the air surrounding him, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the facts were there. Gavin was gone.

"Hooly shit, for real? And you're out here drinking alone?" The man downed two of his shots in quick succession before leaning in to close the gap between himself & the detective. "I can help take your mind off of it, if you catch my drift..." Allowing his sentence to trail off, leaving the rest to the imagination, the stranger batted his lashes at the detective in an innocent manner. 

"Would you politely fuck off? I am in no mood to indulge you in whatever fantasies you have swimming in that head of yours & you are getting far too close." Finding himself to have a surprisingly large amount of self control as to not sound _too_ cruel with his words, Nines slipped off of the bar stool with a slight stumble in his step so he could have a smoke, pettily shoulder checking the man on his way out, knowing full & well it would chip away at the patience the stranger was showing. 

Filling his lungs with nicotine somehow always helped to clear his head. 

His somewhat calming smoke break didn't last long until that voice that was becoming increasingly grating to his ears piped up as the man from earlier stumbled into Nines in his half drunken state. The detective wasn't even to sure what the man had said; all he was aware of was that the man's voice was infuriating & being bumped into in this very spot, with a cigarette between his fingers only brought back a strong wave of deja vu to the night he had met the android with the scar. _Fuck._

Without thinking, Nines dropped his half smoked cigarette, spun around & shoved the stranger with enough force to have the man stumbling back, his soft features creasing up into an irritated scowl. Funny how quick it was for drunk people to go from one emotion to another. Jumping between them with ease. He wasn't sure if he was referring to the stranger or himself, but, it didn't matter.

"Thought I told you to fuck off, man. Hell, I even asked politely. I highly suggest you take my adv-" Before Nines had a chance to finish his sentence, the man shoved him back with a fair amount of force before throwing a punch to Nines' left cheek in a sudden fit of anger at being pushed around.

To give the man some credit, he had a rather solid right hook. Nines had already calculated the punch coming, he saw the way the anger flashed in the stranger's eyes as he shoved him. The way his words only antagonized him further. The way the man's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he contemplated whether assaulting an officer was worth it or not. He calculated the whole thing moments before it happened yet, he allowed the man's knuckles to crash into his cheekbone with enough force that he heard his jaw bone click. 

This is exactly what he wanted.

 _Antagonize_ _him._ Nines' thoughts were loud & clear.

"That it, _buddy?_ You can't get into my bed so instead you want to assert your dominance in the only other way you know how? How embarrassing it must be to feel so inclined to prove your power." Nines sneered, smirking to himself as he riled up the drunken man, reveling in the way his words created frown lines between those brows, those green eyes narrowing into slits as he shoved Nines up against the nearest wall by the lapels of his jacket.

"For a cop drinking alone on a Friday evening, you sure got a mouth on ya! Prick!" The man shouted, spit flying from his mouth, the stench of alcohol sitting heavy in the air surrounding them. Nines' smirk never faltered as the man spat insults his way, knowing it would only piss his attacker off further.

He could have easily pulled away, shoved the man back, kneed him in the stomach or incapacitating him somehow & left him groaning on the floor in pain as he made his way back to his apartment, but, he deserved this. He wanted this. If his mind wasn't so plagued with the images of his dead partner, he'd probably be getting off to the situation too. Despite the man's reddening face with his anger, Nines couldn't deny he was good looking. He wasn't one to turn away from a bit of angst. It set off a spark inside of the detective that he wanted to douse in gasoline. 

But, it wasn't Gavin. Somehow, that was his standard now. He wasn't sure when his brain began thinking that way but it had & there was no denying the emotion he felt towards the android that was so quick to accept Nines for who he was. Even if he wasn't so sure who that was.

He didn't want to be close with anybody else. He didn't want to share the same bed, cuddle on the couch & watch movies with anybody other than Gavin. He got to have his moment of peace, his very own slice of heaven when he had fallen to sleep cuddling Gavin on the couch, waking up with the android almost completely curled up into his chest. A glimpse of what life could be like if he allowed the android into his world. GV200 understood him in a way that he couldn't explain. Maybe that was just it. He didn't have to explain things to the android. He never had to. Somehow, Gavin just got it. He trusted him. And now it was gone.

Nines gulped down the hurt that was attempting to escape his core, blinking a few times to evade the tears that were brimming the corners of his eyes & channeled all of what he felt into the one emotion he knew how to handle. Anger.

Gripping one of the man's wrists that were still attached to the front of his jacket, Nines twisted. Hard. And continued to twist until the man yelped out in pain & pulled away, holding his wrist for a few moments as if cradling it would somehow erase the pain before shouting 'you fucking asshole' & tackling Nines to the ground, straddling the detective so he could throw multiple punches to Nines' face with the hand that wasn't connected to his now painful wrist, bellowing expletives & insults in Nines' face.

Yeah, this was fine. Nines swallowed thickly as a copper taste began to pool in his mouth, his head hitting back against the unforgiving, rough concrete with each punch that sent sparks of pain pulsing through his flesh, igniting every fiber of him with a fiery sensation that he welcomed. It wasn't like he had anything else to lose. 

Looking up at the man leaning over him, pinning him to the cold, damp ground, Nines allowed a fabricated, charming smile to grace his features, blood staining his usually perfectly white teeth. 

_Provoke him._

"That all the fight you got in you, hm? Thought you'd have more stamina than that, big guy. Maybe it was a good thing I didn't invite you back to my apartment after all. We'd be done in barely 5 minutes. How disappointing-" With that, Nines allowed some of the blood to pool around his mouth from his busted lip before spitting it at the man's face, knowing full & well if some dickhead decided to pull that shit on him, he would have to be physically restrained from killing them.

It seemed to work like a charm, yet another calculated move to get the perfect response from the man who had turned Nines' face into his own personal punching bag. 

"You're gonna regret that, _detective!"_ A murderous look flashed across the man's eyes as one hand wrapped around Nines' throat, cutting off an airflow to his lungs, other hand throwing one more punch right to the detective's already sensitive nose, the dull ache from where he had been elbowed this morning turning into a throbbing, burning pain to match the rest of his face. For a split second, Nines' vanity got the better of him as he wondered how he must look from the beating his face had received. He could feel the skin around his left eye beginning to puff out, swelling from the abuse he was allowing his skin to endure. 

_What would Gavin think? Seeing you so beaten to shit? Oh, right-_ For the briefest of moments in his dizzy haze, Nines had almost forgotten the reason he had put himself into this situation. Good, it was working. 

His nose didn't feel broken but fuck, did it hurt. There was likely a fracture in his cheekbone & he wouldn't be all that surprised if his jaw had been knocked out of line slightly. There was blood streaming from his nose, his busted lip & the gash where the skin on his cheek had split open. The back of his head felt a little sticky too around the impact site from where it collided with the concrete beneath him.

As white sparks flashed across his vision that was beginning to go fuzzy, the detective tilted his head to the side, watching as his blood pooled onto the floor from the wounds all over his face. 

Red. That was good. Red blood needed to be spilled. He deserved this for allowing so much blue blood to spill earlier on. He was making up for his mistakes. 

Nines could feel his eyes growing heavy as he garbled out incoherent insults to the man who was asphyxiating him, half choking on the blood that he couldn't swallow back, coating his throat. His whole body was set alight with a forced fight or flight response, his nerves panicking as dizziness overwhelmed his mind. His body instinctively weakly thrashing in a poor attempt to escape.

As his vision blacked out, the detective welcomed the weakness he felt in his limbs, he welcomed the fire he felt in his throat as his senses began to dull. But, before he got to welcome the abyss, the pressure around his throat disappeared & the detective instinctively rolled onto his side, coughing sharply as his body desperately sucked in as much air as it could, choking on it as it filled his chest, his lungs burning as they begged for the oxygen. 

As his senses slowly regained their focus, he stayed on his side on the wet concrete, spluttering out blood as his chest heaved, watching the blood puddle grow as more trickled from the corner of his mouth. The smell of copper overtaking the stench of alcohol as he lay on the ground.

It took a few moments for his brain to kick back into action & when it did, everything came crashing down around him, like a bomb had gone off & he was the rubble left behind. His chest ached. He couldn't tell whether it was from being practically killed or from the thought of never seeing Gavin again.

He opened up to GV200, he had made it his mission to save Gavin from Whitman's evil hand, to give the android the life he so rightfully deserved, yet, he was the one who had taken it all away.

Life seemed to have a sick sense of humour & Nines couldn't figure out why all of this was happening to him. Karma, probably. Every emotion wracked through his body, hitting harder than the punches he had just allowed himself to endure. He didn't know how to handle them. So, he reacted in the only way his body would allow.

He laughed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emotionally fucked up Nines? Please.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To honor GV200's memory, Nines takes it upon himself to dig into what's happening in the narcotics unit.

Being beaten to the point where he was barely coherent wasn't how Nines had planned on spending his night but then again, he didn't exactly plan to have the one person he was able to open up to be shot in the chest all because he as too slow to react to a situation he knew for a fact he should have been able to handle with no trouble. The sad truth of the matter was that the only reason he was distracted, the only reason he was not on his best game, was because he wanted to keep Gavin safe. Funny how that was the one reason Gavin ended up bleeding out.

Peeling himself off of the blood splattered concrete, the detective blearily glanced around as the bitter Detroit air nipped relentlessly at the split skin of his cheek, nose & lip, causing him to hiss quietly to himself. Drawing in a sharp breath, the concerned look of the android he once set out to save popped into his mind. It was after he had got into that fight with Whitman, as they headed outside, the cold air stung the wounds on his face much to how it was right now. The only difference being back then he had Gavin, despite all the cruel things he had said to the android, looking out for him.

He almost expected to see those gorgeously deep emeralds for eyes, reminding him that this was not the correct way to handle emotions. He knew if Gavin could see him right now, he'd struggle to hide his disappointments.

The underwhelming truth lingered around the detective as he trudged towards his apartment; even in instigating acts of violence out of drunken strangers while intoxicated himself, still wasn't enough to forget him. He could drink enough to forget his own name but it would only have him remembering Gavin's name more clearly. 

With the promise of checking up on him later, the detective was almost expecting to hear the sound of his brother's concerned yet disappointed voice as he stumbled through his front door, dragging his sorry ass towards the kitchen, he found himself genuinely surprised that there was no angry Connor waiting, leaning against the kitchen island, ready to berate him for his stupidity only to end up feeling guilty as he saw the bruises & wounds that likely littered Nines usually perfect face. Connor's frustrations would fizzle out into nothing in a matter of seconds; anger morphing into that infuriatingly comforting look that was just a constant reminder as to why Connor was the loved brother & Nines, well, was not.

Seeing his apartment so empty & quiet would usually be welcoming. A quiet that he indulged in, a sense of loneliness that he welcomed knowing he never had to worry about anybody other than himself, yet, on this particular night, he never felt more alone. It burned in his chest, an ache begging for an escape.

The detective discarded his coat over the arm of the couch, kicked his shoes off at the door & put some food down for the cat that Gavin had claimed as his own. Nines was always one for order, never once having not hung his coat up neatly beside the door, never once simply kicking his shoes off without placing them neatly or trudging through the place he never truly called home as sluggishly as he did tonight but he simply didn't have the energy to care.

Once done with putting the cat food down, the detective set out to find his new furry acquaintance.

Shuffling around his apartment, the detective finally made his way to his bedroom, quietening his foot falls as his eyes cast their gaze to the view in front of him, not taking long before said view was obscured by the tears welling in his eyes. Ice turning to water, nowhere else to go but to slip down his cheeks, creating little limpid rivers across his bloodied face.

The tiny grey ball of fur known as Gizmo was curled up as small as physically possible at the end of Nines' bed, lying atop of an off red leather jacket that was folded neatly, placed carefully on the edge of the bed as if being ready to be picked up later. The jacket that Nines had allowed Gavin to keep with the promise of looking after it. The only reason he hadn't been wearing it was because Nines had got the android a new uniform. 

Nines took a few cautious steps forward, as if nervous he would disturb the small kitten, once close enough, he sat on the end of his bed, placing a shaking hand as gently as he could on the back of Gizmo's neck, stroking the soft fur with his index finger. God, he was so tiny. Kind of like somebody else Nines had known-

The kitten raised his head at the sudden affection, shifting to nuzzle against Nines' hand before looking up at the detective with wide, blue-practically grey-eyes, colour similar to that of Nines', mewling softly as if to speak to the human. Maybe, Gizmo felt just as lonely as Nines did.

"Yeah, I know, buddy, I miss him too." Speaking through the hitch in his voice, Nines carefully lay down on his back on the bed with a slight wince, pulling the jacket with the kitten on it onto his chest so he could continue to stroke the affectionate kitten who seemed rather content in quietly meowing away at the detective, nuzzling & snuffling at the stinging skin around his cheek & nose.

He knew he needed to clean up, to have a shower to wash away the blood was drying across his face, to wash away the hurt & the smell of alcohol that lingered around his body. To brush his teeth so he can stop feeling nauseous with each breath he took, the taste of alcohol, vomit & blood lingering bitterly across his tongue & throat. To change out of his disheveled clothes. But, he didn't have the energy to do so, all he could in the moment was lay there, listening to the kitten mewl in his face, begging the human to bring his android back.

As more tears slipped down his cheeks, Gizmo took it upon himself to lick a few away, as if to console the detective in his own, kitten way. Through the quiet sobs that wracked Nines' body, he thanked the kitten, murmuring softly, "I'm sorry, lil guy. I promised to keep him safe & I failed, I'm so sorry-" 

Unable to finish his sentence without choking on another sob, it was almost as if Gizmo understood; the kitten meowed softly, nuzzling his face against the humans to wipe the tears from his face onto his fur instead. The pair stayed in one another's company for a long while, the kitten nuzzling, licking & meowing at Nines' face until the detective's breathing finally calmed, returning to it's usual steady pattern. Only then did Gizmo curl himself up in the crook of Nines' shoulder, burying himself against the human's warmth as they both drifted off into that peaceful abyss. Dreaming of their troubled guardian angel.

Dragging himself into the precinct hungover & in pain the next morning was not something Nines was too impressed with the idea of, albeit his choice. He had been given strict orders to take the weekend off by Captain Fowler but the detective knew, deep down, if he allowed himself to take those days off, he would spiral with no sense of control, drowning himself in the bottom of a bottle until Connor came to pick up the pieces. He may be a selfish man but he wasn't about to allow his brother to handle another alcoholic, the older sibling seemed to have his hands full trying to keep Hank fucking Anderson on the wagon of sobriety.

So, to keep his mind from trailing too far into the toxic darkness that called his name; he was going to bury himself into his work. The cases that made no sense, the drugs that were beginning to sweep through Detroit like a plague causing bodies to drop left right & center, affecting androids & humans alike, the corruption that he knew was going on in the narcotics unit. He was going to honor Gavin's memory. He was going to figure it all out, to fix it, to bring justice for those affected & most importantly, he was going to take Whitman down a notch. Or twenty. The rage that nines felt festering inside him, itching for him to drink it away was being channeled into the flippant thought of putting a bullet in Whitman's skull. It's the least that he deserved. 

But, he needed a plan. Before doing that, he needed to be careful. Nines was nothing if not particular about what he does. He needed to think as rationally as he could if he was going to take out every god damn cop who ever even thought about laying a filthy hand on _his_ Gavin. Which is why he chose to go into work rather than wallow in self pity in some dingy bar.

The detective barely made it through the glass doors of the precinct before the - once too frightened to look his way - eyes of his peers all fell upon him. What a strange weight it was, to have everyone's eyes taking in his state. He half wondered what it was that they were thinking before realising that he simply did not care. Nines had showered, cleaned himself up, styled his unruly curls the best he could besides for the one stray lock of hair that was too stubborn to cooperate with the rest. He was dressed, well, dressed to the nines.

He dressed himself in his usual work attire but wearing the more expensive labels he had in his closet, something about dressing smart helping the detective to forget the blood that stained his clothes the night before. He wore smart black dress pants & oxford shoes, choosing to wear a grey button down shirt & a tie rather than a turtleneck along with an almost black blazer. 

A foolish move on his behalf considering the fingerprint bruises were so apparent on his neck from his fight with the stranger but, again, he did not care. A small, sadistic part of him hoped everyone would see the bruises & remember he is not a man to be fucked with. Especially not on his bad days, which, were likely going to be everyday for the foreseeable future. 

One of his eyes carried heavy bruising around it, the split in his lip puffing out slightly, his jaw & cheekbone bruised & littered with little wounds. He had a larger wound across the bridge of his nose that was the most sensitive but a part of him wore it with pride knowing it very much mirrored the scar in which Gavin had. A dull ache lingered in the back of his skull where it had made impact with the ground but that was the least of his problems. Despite washing all of the blood away, his face was a mess & would be for at least a week or two until the wounds healed into little scars & the bruises faded.

Nines could feel it, somewhere in the back of his mind, he was growing unhinged. The itch in his trigger finger, the frosty look in his eyes that shot his infamous icy glare at whoever looked his way, his dangerous thoughts that plagued his mind with violence & blood. The way he was before. Before his job at the DPD. When all he lived for was the kill order. It was all slowly creeping back & he didn't know how to stop it.

His mind wandered to all the ways he could kill Whitman. It all came back to Whitman. Somehow, he wasn't sure how just yet, but somehow, it was all his fault & the fucker was going to pay. All he had to do was figure out how Whi-

"Nines! Jesus Christ, what did you do?! Are you alright?" Ah, there it was. That voice filled with disappointment, wrapped in concern with sympathy sprinkled on top for good measure. 

Connor was in front of him in an instant, gripping Nines' jaw to inspect his face, completely ignoring the fact they were in the middle of a precinct full of prying eyes. Eyebrows pulling together into a deep frown, puppy brown eyes clearly upset, it was obvious Connor wasn't going to leave until he got an explanation.

"What? Cant a man have a good night without being assaulted at his workplace?" Nines sneered, swatting Connor's hand away, glaring to his coworkers with a familiar look that all but screamed _mind your own fucking business._

"A good night?! Nines, this is too far, even for you! I tried to check up on you but you were not home, let me guess, you were out doing, well, doing this!" Gesturing to Nines' face, the sympathy that laced his brother's words being lost due to the stern tone he was using, dragging Nines to the one side by a firm grip on his elbow. "What did you do, Brother? Truth. Now."

"I'm not Hank, _Brother._ I don't need you looking out for me. I'm completely okay. Got into a bit of an altercation over a miss understanding but it brought me some clarity. I'm. Fine." A small smirk toyed at the left side of Nines' face, the split in his lip causing it to be lopsided. "I really should get to work-"

Part of him almost felt guilty, almost being the relevant word. He _almost_ wanted to apologise for worrying his brother but what would it matter? Not everybody could keep a handle on their emotions in the way perfect fucking Connor could. Another reason why he'd related to Gavin so quickly. Also plagued with emotions that he never asked for, he was left to handle them on his own too, with nobody around willing to truly understand.

"What the fuck, Nines? You are so far from okay, how can you not see that?! You're grieving, please, take some time off..." Drawing in a deep breath, Connor lowered his voice as he tried to keep a lid on his temper that was becoming just as short as his brother's, leaning close as he murmured, "I'll send you the files on my recent cases involving the Cobalt, nobody has to know, but please, go home-"

Nines dramatically clutched at his chest as he fake gasped louder than necessary. "Big brother! Bending the rules for lil ol' me? How dare you-" Callous sarcasm dripped from Nines' words & as quickly as his dramas had appeared, they dissipated back into the irritated look that Connor was so used to seeing. Leaning close to his brother, he muttered, "do yourself a favour & fuck off, Con, I don't need you, never have." 

There he was, burning bridges.

With that, the taller of the two pulled away from his older brother, throwing a glare at him for good measure before heading back to his desk, hearing in a faint, upset voice from behind him muttering out, "you're fucking deranged, _Nines._ You're broken."

The way that once kind voice spoke his name so maliciously, with such venom made something in the air around him shift, an uneasy feeling settling into his bones. For a moment, he could have sworn he felt something inside him cracking open. As if that little void inside him that he had been suppressing for so many years had the locks cut off, monsters coming crawling out, consuming his mind, eating away at his heart & soul. Making his fingers twitch.

_Deranged, huh?_

He didn't care. He couldn't care, not right now. He was a man on a very delicate mission.

Heading back to his desk, the detective chose to ignore as Fowler called his name, requesting to see him in his office, chose to ignore the venom laced words Hank was throwing his way for hurting Connor's precious little feelings, chose to ignore the eyes that sometimes braved to look in his direction. He blocked it all out so he could have all of his attention trained on the glowing terminal screen as he pieced together various case notes he had from Gavin & Connor involving the new, mystery drug. 

Frustrations ran high through the detective as he realised that none of these cases were even his. This wasn't any of his business & they were cases he wasn't even supposed to be working on. He was just the man who interrogated criminals for answers. He was the scare tactic. Nothing more than Fowler's attack dog. How infuriating. All he ever was, was an asset. A tool. A weapon. 

Half of the cases revolving around the android drug were sent straight to narcotics. The only reason Connor was even involved was because there had been bodies dropping & the only reason Nines was involved was because Connor needed his help. And of course, just like with everything else in his life, if he wants it done, he'll have to do it for himself.

Nines rubbed a hand over his forehead as if to iron out the frown lines that were lingering across his head as his brows stayed knitted tightly together. He glanced around to be sure nobody was eyeing him before using his sly self to get into Fowler's account once more, knowing he has copies & access of all files. Usually, he would have to put in a request for any files from narcotics that may be of use but knowing full & well how much Whitman wants him dead, he knew for a fact he wouldn't get them without a fight. Breaking into Fowler's account was the easier option, not like he hadn't done it before when finding out some background on Gavin, or the time he looked into his own files to see what they had to say about him. 

He knew that he should be doing this the right way, if he were to find any evidence to pin against Whitman, it would be deemed inadmissible due to his unlawful searching but he was a selfish man, one with a short patience at that.

There was something off about the situation that he couldn't quite piece together. He needed the case files to help unlock the theories that were swimming in his mind, too deep for him to catch onto just yet.

Scanning through the files with a deflated sigh, the detective allowed himself to think back to one of the first crime scenes involving Cobalt he had helped Connor with. Gavin was there, he had insulted the poor android & made him believe he was nothing more than a pet project to him. But, pushing that guilt aside to focus on what was more pressing, Nines' brows only furrowed further as he thought about how Whitman was there & seemed to know what was going on, which was strange considering he & Connor had only just got there. There were no implication that it was a drug related case, yet, Whitman was so quick to jump on the case as if somehow, he knew the crime scene before even visiting it.

_Conspiracies, asshole. You need to find proof._

There was something off about that whole unit. The way they watched Gavin with shark eyes at any crime scene or as he wandered through the precinct towards Nines' desk, as if he had a secret that didn't belong to him & they were ready to pounce if he dared uttered what it was. Fucking dirty cops, the whole lot of them & Nines could smell it from a mile away, poor GV200 being stuck right in the center.

He only grew progressively more livid at the thought they were likely happy that the android was gone so they could freely fuck around without having to watch their backs incase GV200 finally caved & spoke up.

They were hiding something, he just knew it & the one person he could interrogate to get answers from, who would break & give him the answers he needed without too much pressure just so happened to have died in his arms not even 24 hours prior. Gone. How frustrating.

Gavin could have come clean, told him everything there was to know about, well, everything. He knew what was going on between the android & Whitman behind closed doors, he wasn't stupid & saw the way Whitman's eyes followed the android with ill intent. The only reason he had even got into a fight with Whitman in the first place was because he saw him buckling up his belt as Gavin adjusted his shirt.

The crude, crass comments that Whitman & a few other officers had said to Gavin was enough of a confession for him to see they were assaulting him. Using him as though he were a Traci. The thought making bile crawl his up his throat once more. All he wanted to do was protect Gavin, to take him away from his world of hurt & pain & show him love & kindness. Even if he was the least emotionally stable person he knew, Gavin trusted him. 

He knew that while there was nothing he could legally do until Gavin came forward & admitted to what was happening, it didn't mean there was nothing he could do illegally... Seeing as Gavin wasn't about to walk back into his life & admit to the assault, that left the latter for Nines' mind to toy with. Trigger finger twitching at the thought.

That was just it, the original source for the furious spark inside of Nines' chest. Each time he thought about Whitman's hands on the frightened android, only fueled that spark with gasoline. 

As difficult as it was, Nines chose to push those thoughts aside for the moment so he could focus on his plan. He didn't have anything solid to work off of yet besides suspicions, late night conspiracies & cryptic remarks from Gavin that implied more was going on behind those closed doors than what meets the eye. Which, was becoming more & more clear.

A part of Nines' anger came from the fact he was working for a corrupt station for years without paying it any mind. He knew he was bad too, his way of extracting confessions wasn't exactly something he could go talking about freely. Grateful that there were locks on interrogation room doors but whatever the hell it was that the narcotics unit got up to under the radar, he knew he had to fix it. Fast.

The detective managed to stay focused on unraveling the web of lies Gavin's coworkers had weaved for a few hours, but, no matter how hard he tried to focus on how the fuck Whitman was so quick to jump on the Cobalt cases despite nobody actually understanding them yet, his brain kept wandering back to all of the times he had seen Gavin bruised & bloodied. The bruises around his wrist as if he'd been handcuffed & had tried to break free, the bruise on his cheekbone, the fingerprint bruises on his hips that Nines had quietly cried about to himself when nobody was around. The bruises that lingered around the android's sternum, in a perfect ring around his thiri- _oh shit._

Realisation had it's way of crashing into Nines' body at the times he least expected it, although the guilt that usually followed was enough to remind him that he wasn't a complete psychopath, the thrill of realising he was right all along sent sparks through his bloodstream.

There was always that inkling suspicion deep down that Gavin wasn't being completely honest with him. As an addict himself, he almost had a radar for other addicts. Despite his choice of poison being alcohol, his choice of drug coming in the form of antagonizing people until blood was drawn, hell, he even made a career out of it, it didn't mean he couldn't tell Gavin was one too.

The pieces that were jumbled in Nines' hungover mind slowly began to slide into place, completing the messy jigsaw puzzle known as GV200 & his baggage.

Back at one of the crime scenes they were investigating together; Gavin had told Nines that Cobalt could be injected straight into the regulator, the bruising being formed by the constant removal of the thirium pump. The bruising on those dead android's being consistent with that of GV200's. 

He also seemed to know a hell of a lot about the mystery drug. How the formula was tweaked so it wouldn't kill until they either overdosed or took it for too long that it destroyed their motor functions & shut them down. Gavin had mentioned he was trying to reconstruct what had happened at the scene but it was taking him a while. _Because his motor functions were slower, moron._

If his motor functions were slower, that would in turn, make the android weaker, making it impossibly difficult to escape being handcuffed, which would explain the bruises on his wrists that GV200 couldn't quite talk about.

The only thing he couldn't quite figure out was how Gavin was taking the drug, he almost always had Nines' eyes on him, unless he was with Whi-

"You son a bitch." Nines muttered to himself, louder than he had intended as he closed down his terminal. He must have been distracted by his findings for longer than he had originally realised because when the words left his mouth, he noticed the way Connor jerked his head up in his direction.

"What..?" There was little care to the tone he was regarded with by his brother & he knew he had taken things a step too far earlier on, it'd be a while before Connor forgives him this time. Something he could deal with later. The delighting thought of taking down Whitman for the scumbag he was far more thrilling to the detective than mending a crumbling sibling relationship. 

He was on a warpath, he could feel it in his bones, could feel the way his fingers twitched at the thought but he couldn't stop it. He was doing this for Gavin after all. 

"Oh, uh, nothing. Gotta talk with someone about a case-" As scatterbrained as he was, Nines somehow managed to stay visibly composed as he stood from his seat, adjusting his blazer. Putting on his usual nonchalant charade as to not draw unwanted suspicion to himself.

Fucking Whitman. It was a hunch, a hunch based merely off of a gut feeling that was based off of a dead android's secrecy yet Nines knew. He knew that if Whitman was capable of assaulting his partner then there was nothing to say he wasn't forcing Gavin to take the drug... Or to test it. _Holy shit._ He wasn't making Gavin take the drug, no, he was forcing him into testing it! That's how he knew about the change in formula, that's why he had the bruises & that's why Whitman knew so fucking much far too quickly about the cases that were befuddling to everybody else. 

Those first androids that were killed were likely failed test subjects for the drug... No doubt if he checked up on that DPD issued pistol from the other crime scene, it'd be registered under Whitman's name but of course all of the bastards in the narcotics unit continued to cover for Whitman, no matter how far he took his despicable actions.

It wasn't solid, he had no actual proof & his theories would be simply shrugged off by everybody if he dared utter them allowed, not even Connor would understand. Not that he as going to tell him anything after just stating how he didn't need Connor's help.

There was only one other person who knew what Whitman was capable of & the thought of having to openly admit that he was the reason for Gavin's demise scared the shit out of him but if he wanted help from said person, he was going to have to be honest, even if he was going to get a punch in his already beaten face.

Hurrying to the front desk, he greeted the receptionist without so much as a smile, too lost in his thoughts to bother putting on a polite facade. 

"I need to speak with an officer, could you notify me on their whereabouts?"

"Of course. Name, please." The receptionist's LED spun a bright blue to match her cheery blue eyes & the smile on her face. It almost made him sad to think she was programmed to be so friendly. Shaking those thoughts aside, Nines cleared his throat as if it'd dislodge the nervous lump that sat there, trying to stop his words from escaping his lips, as if somehow, despite everything he had put himself through as of late, uttering out two names was somehow the most difficult task he's had to face as of yet.

He was grateful that the receptionist was an android because, although she could sense his spike in heart rate, if she were a human, he knew for a fact she'd be attempting to pry answers out of him as to why his confidence was being to falter, why he was beginning to crumble, having only barely built himself back up for just enough hours to get a few answers mapped out. Drawing in a few deep breaths as to keep his voice steady, the detective finally spoke up with a quiet voice, filled with a pressing desperation.

"Ni-Uh, Richard Allen, to see Tina. Tina Chen. Tell her it's urgent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I've managed to portray Nines well in the way that shows he's slipping into his dark side that he'd tried so hard to keep hidden away? We’ll see more of that..eventually.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a lil warning, I’m not too sure if it’s necessary buut Nines takes an interrogation a little too far at the start!

As it turned out, Officer Chen was a surprisingly busy woman who was rather difficult to get a hold of. The word urgent must have not sunk into the receptionist's head. Part of him wanted to blame the fact that the receptionist was an android, therefore likely didn't _feel_ the desperation he had shown. But, then again, he was this desperate _because_ of an android that proved to feel so much more than Nines ever could, so he couldn't exactly say much on the matter; shoving the presumptuous thought aside.

It had been a day & a half since he had requested to speak with her & she still hadn't shown up. It may have been a blessing in disguise, however. It mean't that the detective had the chance to focus on wrangling his thoughts until they cooperated with him & stopped playing chicken with the darkest parts of himself. Despite the risky moves he was taking, he was going to avenge Gavin in at least one way. 

He had made copies of all files regarding Cobalt, saving them onto a flash drive so he could look at them when home alone, without the worry of prying eyes catching onto what he was doing. His disciplinary file wouldn't be too pleased with pages that he simply couldn't... sweet talk... his way out of. 

Not like that mattered anymore.

As each minute passed the detective by, his patience dissipated along with them.

Tapping his gun flat on the table, finger toying with the safety, a small smirk tugged at the corners of Nines' mouth as he grilled the officer who was sitting opposite him in the interrogation room chair, attempting to extract intel from the man who once worked closely with Whitman. The man's hands cuffed together around a metal bar attached to the table. He was the same officer who had made crude remarks to Gavin at one of their first crime scenes together, Nines having got between the two before anything escalated too far. 

Nines slowly stood from where he was situated opposite the ex-narcotics officer, 20 minutes of boredom having already passed, the officer refusing to cooperate. A dark look passed over his face as the officer eyed his gun that was sitting on the table before looking up at him, spitting out angrily, "you're fucking insane, you think you're any better than I am? You abuse your badge just like I did!"

Standing over the man, Nines let out a humourless chuckle as he fiddled with the key to the handcuffs between his fingers, his voice deep & scratchy, indicating he hadn't slept since he last saw GV200.

"Did I ever once indicate I was somehow better than you are? I don't recall ever saying such a thing. But, we aren't here to talk about me now, are we? We're here to talk about why you're covering Whitman's ass. Tell me, offic-wait, my apologies, you aren't an officer anymore, are you?" Nines' smirk only grew as the man threw the most foul glare he could muster in the detective's direction as he spat out a string of expletives.

"Tell me, _Mister_ Wilson, what is it that Whitman has over you, then? It's rather convenient that as soon as I begin to trace all of his, shall we say, extra curricular shenanigans, that you suddenly turn yourself in. Interesting that everything you admitted to is everything that I have tracked Whitman doing. Stealing Red Ice from lockup, busting dealers to pocket their drugs & cash. How intriguing is that?"

"Fuck you! What you want me to say, hm? Got a guilty conscience, I guess." The man in question shrugged his shoulders as he slouched as much as his handcuffed hands allowed in his chair, a smug look across his face.

"Hm, guilty conscience? Now, I doubt that very much. Whitman has you wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he? He somehow knew I was on his tail & you took the fall for his bullshit!" Nines gripped the front of Wilson's shirt to forcefully pull him up as far as his handcuffed hands allowed as he began to raise his voice, his temper having depleted many minutes ago. He so badly wanted to punch Wilson right in the jaw, he had ever since he had first met him. But, he had kept it under control, for Gavin's sake. But, Gavin wasn't there.

The detective mustered up the most innocent smile he could despite his mildly violent actions. Taking a moment to compose himself, he let go of Wilson so the man slouched back in his seat as he spoke up once more, voice far more calm this time around. "Just tell me the truth & hell, I can even get you your badge back, as if you deserve it. I just want Whi-"

"You jealous, Detective? Jealous that he fucked your bot before you could? That's just pathetic. Hell, you might be the only guy who hasn't taken him for a test run-" Wilson sneered, spitting out his words with a cruel laugh lacing them. "Not like it matters now, haven't seen him around in a while... Wonder what happened there.." He allowed his sentence to trail off & in the back of Nines' mind, he knew the man was only trying to pry a reaction from him & he shouldn't indulge the bastard but at the same time, he was sick of playing the good cop in a precinct full of disgusting scumbags. 

Wilson wanted a reaction? Fine by Nines. He was waiting for an excuse to snap the moment he stepped through the interrogation room door.

In one swift motion, Nines was behind the ex-officer, his hand finding its way into Wilson's hair, slamming his head down onto the table with enough force to possibly leave a hairline fracture along the man's right cheekbone that was pressed into the metal surface, the detective using his other hand to drop the key to the handcuffs on the table in front of his face so Wilson could see them right there. Just barely out of reach. Helpless. He wanted him to feel just as helpless as Gavin had.

As a nefarious spark tickled along Nines' tendons, his grip on the man's hair tightened impossibly harder as he raised his head until his back was flush with Nines' chest, holding him there as the detective kicked the chair out of the way, it clattering loudly across the room. He wanted him to feel just as afraid as Gavin had.

He held the man against him for barely a second before slamming Wilson's head back down with as much force as he could muster against the unforgiving metal of the table, hard enough to hear the crunch of the man's nose beneath his force, blood splattering across the table. He wanted him to hurt how Gavin had.

When it came to settling a fear into people's bones, to have them quaking in their boots; that's where Nines would never be anything less than superlative. Prodigious in every way, chiseling away at one's deepest fears until they crumpled into a pathetic mess & gave him everything he wanted.

But, some men deserved far more than a busted nose. 

Pupils blown wide at the sight of the spilled blood on the table, a vicious smirk curled the corners of his lips. Without giving Wilson time to try & pull his head back up, Nines continued to force his head against the blood splattered table, pressing Wilson's already sensitive right cheek as hard as he could against the metal surface, leaning over the officer & pressing his full weight over him. Other hand pressing against the table, blocking Wilson in place with his full body weight. 

With his chest flush against the man's back, he reveled in the way Wilson's whole body tensed drastically beneath his weight. He was _scared_. Even if Nines would never take his actions any further, Wilson didn't know that & mind games were yet another thing Nines had a knack for. The air in the room shifting as those monsters consumed Nines' judgement. He wanted him to feel just as weak as Gavin had.

Leaning in close enough for his breath to tickle the man's ear, Nines whispered sadistically, "yeah, it isn't fun being overpowered, is it? Helpless to do anything-" He intentionally allowed his sentence to trail off, just how Wilson had done a few moments prior. As if to give the impression that he was pondering on what to do next.

"Fuck you! Fucking unhinged prick!" Wilson spat as he writhed beneath Nines' weight to no avail. Cocking one brow curiously as the rest of his face remained stoic despite the fire burning inside of him, only being fueled by the whimpers & cries of pain coming from the grow man who brought it all on himself, Nines continued to pin the man down, breathing against his ear - staying silent for a moment as he drank in the groans of agony coming from the once police officer who had now taken up shouting about his broken nose.

Then, as if nothing happened, Nines - as slowly as he could - shifted around Wilson so he could un-handcuff the man as a facetious grin crept along is lips that paired beautifully with the dark look filling his eyes. Taking a step aside, leaving his gun still on the table in a way of asserting his dominance, Nines gestured to the door.

"You're not giving me what I want. You're free to go." As quiet as his words were, the satirical tone was somewhat unmissable even to the stupidest of people.

"You're a fucking psychopath, you know that?" Wilson spat in Nines' direction, blood & spittle flying from his mouth as he shouted, eyes glancing to Nines' gun before back to the detective & seeing the internal torment in the man's eyes only helped stir a darkness awake within the detective; consuming him. Whatever thoughts passed through Wilson's mind, he chose against them & headed straight for the door.

"So I've been told."

Right as Wilson's hand met with the handle on the door, the man froze like a deer in headlights as the telltale _click_ of the safety being flicked off of a gun filled the air around them.

The man didn't turn around, head bowed as blood dripped from his nose, down his chin & onto his shoes, he muttered out his words through grit teeth & Nines didn't miss the frightened hitch in his voice that he poorly attempted to cover up with a clearing of his throat. "What, so you're just gonna shoot an officer? Right here in the precinct? Using threats as a way of getting what you want. Tell me again how you're any different from me. Or Whitman-"

There it was. The one thing that snapped the very last thread of Nines' control. He may be many things, taken things too far in many ways but, he was _not_ Whitman.

Before there was even a chance for him to fight back, Nines had Wilson pinned up against the wall, barrel of his gun pressing up beneath the man' chin, his finger wrapped loosely around the trigger with a fiendish look washed across his features as he muttered in a tone that would have even the bravest of people running.

"Now, now, you want to tell all the ways in which I'm just like Whitman? You want to talk about my android again, offi-mister? Lets do it. Lets see just how far you can get before you taste lead, shall we?" That signature unpredictable smirk returned to Nines' lips, sadistic in every way as Wilson's fear morphed into anger at Nines' intentional teasing of him losing his badge. 

But, before there was a chance for any more blood to be spilled by his hands, the door swung open, his doppelganger standing angrily in the doorway. Funny; with a look of such disdain washed across Connor's usually kind features, it was almost as if he was looking at himself. Officer Chen behind him. He'd really fucked it up this time. _Shit._

Without a word, Nines pulled away from the man he had pinned against the wall, clicking the safety back on his gun, about to shove it into its rightful place in his holster, actions only being paused by Connor's iron tight grasp on his wrist. 

" _Detective_. We need to speak. Alone." Connor's voice was void of any of it's usual compassion, throwing a glance to Officer Chen who simply nodded, leading a bleeding Wilson out of the interrogation room, taking the padlock that was once holding Connor's patience together with her. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, Connor was straight up in his brother's face.

"Richard! What the hell have you done?! I saw everything!" His head motioned toward the one way mirror of the room, his grip that was still on Nines' wrist carefully prying the gun from his younger sibling's grasp, tucking it into the back of his belt, shaking his head as he held out a single hand, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Hand it over."

"Sorry, _brother_ , I don't quite know what you're implying-"

"Your badge, Rich. Hand it over. You're done. Again, this was too far, even for you."

"Excuse me? I'm sorry, I don't remember your rank being captain. You may have taken the lieutenant's exam, but you're not my boss." Nines' words reeked of peril, yet, Connor seemed unaffected. 

"No, you're right, I'm not you're captain, nor am I your lieutenant, yet. But, I am your older brother & this is me telling you right now to take a god damn break before you pull that trigger & ruin your life! Hand me your badge, you can have it back in a week. I can keep your absence under wraps with Fowler & if you comply with me here, I won't show him the footage of what went on in this room today. Do you realise what it looked like?! Now, I know you, brother, I know you would _never_ & you were only trying to scare him & maybe he deserved it but you have to understand how it looked!" 

"Bold of you to assume I allowed the cameras to continue running-"

"That's all you got from that?!"

Pausing to simply draw in a deep breath, deciding to brush aside Nines' comment as he rubbed his free hand over his temple as if to push aside the headache that was brewing, he continued, his voice softening. "Take it as a mental health break, time to grieve, whatever you want to call it. But, you either hand it over willingly or have it yanked from you, permanently."

For once, Connor wasn't allowing his brother's unhinged actions & cruel words to get the better of him. He would still cover for Nines as there was not a single thing he wouldn't do for his family. Even if that mean't having Nines angry at him for the foreseeable future for this, at least he could minimize the blast radius & casualty count of Nines' explosive attitude.

"You may be older, but it doesn't make you smarter. You're just too afraid to take action like I will. Always the saint, huh?" Nines sneered. With that, he slammed his badge into Connor's hand before storming out of the room & straight out of the precinct to his car before Connor had the chance to say anything more, lighting a cigarette on the way.

****

"Y'know, I always find it to be the good people who are the best at making bad decisions-" The words of wisdom were spoken in a soft, troubled voice that was laced with mild curiosity, jolting Nines out of his own head where he was replaying the recent events over & over again like a broken record. Something he had found his masochistic self doing when he wasn't fully focused on something else. More proof that he didn't need as to why he needed to stay delved into his work. Not like he could do that now.

The voice that regarded him with interest belonged to none other than Officer Tina Chen, having invited herself into the passenger side of his car, Nines having still being situated in the parking lot, nursing his cigarette as the engine warmed up to defrost the windows of his car.

Raising his head from where it was lowered, watching the ash fall into his lap from his cigarette with little to no care, he was met with Tina's scrutinizing gaze. He could see, hell, he could feel the immediate shift in her demeanor as soon as she was properly able to take in his face. Oh, right. _That._ For a moment, he had forgotten that his usually perfect face was littered with bruises & wounds & he thought she was ready to punch him for what he did to Gavin. An almost panic set in at the thought of anybody besides him telling the officer about the ultimate demise of her friend. 

Thankfully, Tina was quick to stomp on those thoughts, clearly having no knowledge of GV200 just yet.

"I hope the other guy looks worse than _that_ , Detective Trouble."

"Wha-Oh, yeah." Swallowing the pitiful lump that was beginning to form in his throat once more, the detective drew in a deep drag of his cigarette, brushing aside the conversation that he didn't want to have about his face, mentally preparing every word that he had rephrased & rehearsed over & over & over again over the past day & a half, ready to tell Tina everything. Possibly getting even more information in the process considering she was the only other person who really knew Gavin & the things he had endured.

The officer was not only a very clever woman but also had knowledge on the whole narcotics unit seeing as she once specialized there too before her sudden transfer - something Nines was strangely curious on despite never usually caring for other people's personal lives. But, an inkling feeling told him it had something to do with Whitman.

Nines' mouth opened & closed a few times & he cursed himself for his words getting lost somewhere on their travels, never quite making it out of his mouth. The thought of having to openly admit that not only did he allow her friend to die in his arms, he now needed her help too, had a nervous feeling sinking into the pit of his stomach. Somehow, Tina must have caught onto the internal battle, her full attention on the detective.

"Alright, tough guy, I'm going to need more words to know why I'm here. We don't have to talk about whatever it is that I just witnessed but there has to be a reason you're so riled up-" Although clearly a patient lady, Nines could tell that Tina's temper while regarding him seemed to be on thine ice. He knew it was because he had hurt Gavin's feelings, she obviously didn't know just how close the pair had gotten since that day.

_Wait until you tell her you let him die, inconsiderate prick._

Grateful that she wasn't going to have him speak about the extent his scare tactics, he drew in another deep drag of his cigarette, suckling it down to the filter. It took another few moments of silence of the detective trying to shut his own brain up before he finally spoke up in a quiet, raspy tone, cursing himself for sounding so pathetic.

"I need your help, Tina."

The words sat heavier in the air than the smoke from his cigarette did.

Furrowing her brows, the officer eyed Nines cautiously, as if unsure on his intentions, although he thought that was the most blunt way to put it. Four words, that's all it was, but somehow, they had the power to have him feeling weak, vulnerable. Words that showed he needed to change his approach. They showed that for once in his stubborn life, this wasn't something he could alone.

"Okay, yeah, sure. I mean, I'm no detective, but I'm sure I won't be completely usele-"

"I let him die." Nines blurted out before he had the chance to reel those words back in & form them into a sentence that carried an ounce of compassion rather than sounding so damn cold & blunt.

An uncomfortable quiet filled the car, Tina's brows knitting together impossibly tighter as if she was trying to figure out what the hell he was on about with the lack of context given. For a moment, it was likely that she thought he had meant he had killed the other guy who had generously painted his face in bright purples & blues. But, as her eyes widened, hand coming up to cover her mouth as if it'd somehow shield him from hearing the unsteady breath she was drawing in; he knew she knew exactly who he was on about.

Another silence. Ironic how somehow, it was the silence that was the most deafening.

_Slap._

Well, that was one way to cut through the quiet tension that was building up between the two. 

A sharp pain flared up through Nines' right cheek, prickling along his damaged skin & what was once a dull ache, reminding him of his mistakes became something more of a harsh admonition.

Instinctively, Nines reached a hand up to gingerly feel along the hot skin of his cheek, murmuring out a soft string of apologies that he meant with every fiber of his being but couldn't quite get them to sound that way.

"He put his trust in you, asshole!" Although there wasn't exactly much space to get into a brawl inside of his car, that didn't stop Tina from reaching across the center console to shove at Nines' chest, who, in return, simply threw the butt of his cigarette out of the window & sat in place, keeping his torso firm as the officer continued to break down beside him, hitting her fists against his chest. As lackluster as the hits were, it still pained deep in his chest to see that _he_ had caused this to happen.

It was the reason he had refused to form any emotional bonds with anybody for years upon years. Nines was an earthquake. Tectonic plates shifting together inside of him, building up static & friction until eventually, they snap. Tearing open the foundations that he had built up for himself & swallowing up anything he allowed himself to care for. That's just how it worked. He didn't deserve happiness. 

A man like him wasn't supposed to love. Wasn't supposed to care. To feel. A part of him thought about how maybe he should be the one with that small LED on his temple. 

It didn't take long for Tina to give up her assault on his chest, instead choosing to awkwardly slump over the middle of the car, her body pressing against the side of Nines' bicep & chest. Emotions sure were exhausting.

Hesitating briefly, it took Nines an extra second before slowly shifting so he could wrap his arms around the officer & hold her chose against his chest despite the awkward angle as her tears dampened his shirt, mumbling against his chest. It was too muffled for him to understand but he did catch onto the odd 'prick' & 'asshole' here & there.

Although there was a discomfort in his legs from the poor positioning, Nines was grateful that they were in his car rather than in the precinct, giving them a break from any prying eyes of their curious peers. He had already been used as a physical punching bag by a stranger, he was okay with Tina using him not only a physical one but an emotional one too. Any insult thrown his way was definitely deserved & he allowed the officer to throw them freely at him.

"I cannot find the right words to express the guilt in which I feel for not being better, for not being more. I know the word sorry is thrown around without a care but I really, truly am so sorry for my actions. But, I need you, Tina. I have nobody else I can trust with any of what I have discovered." As the words fell from his lips in a raspy tone, Nines rubbed soothing circles on the officer's back between her shoulder blades, only allowing his arms to drop from around her as he felt her begin to slowly pull away, his words having clearly piqued her interest.

Wiping her tears on the backs of her hands, the officer drew in a few long, deep breaths & in a way, it was fascinating to watch her slowly compose herself; the distress leaving her face so it could return to its natural state. But, no matter how stoic she made herself to appear, the mask didn't cover the hurt that was evident in her glazed over eyes.

She wanted to mourn, but then again, so did Nines. But they had business to take of. For Gavin's sake. They could grieve later.

"Why me? You don't know me at all, if whatever it is you know is so important that you can't trust anybody else; why me, Detective Trouble?"

There was that nickname again. It warmed Nines' chest ever so slightly, in it's own way.

The answer to Tina's question was simple. "Because _he_ trusted you. Which means, I know I can too."

Although Nines' trust was a fickle little thing that he had no trouble in ripping away as soon as he dished it out, he knew Tina wouldn't be one to take advantage. She was one of the few officers that were left that was not a complete scumbag.

"Ah." Tina nodded with a faint smile attempting to tug at the corners of her lips. She leaned back against the passenger side seat as she gestured for Nines to elaborate on whatever it was that was troubling him.

In response, the detective held up a small USB stick to show Chen, that dark look finding its way back across his features, rooted too deeply in him for it to be merely washed away. "They're dirty cops, Chen. I know it, you know it, Gavin knew it. You both were too afraid to do anything about it which I am in no way judging you for but, I, on the other hand, have nothing to lose & have nearly enough proof."

Tina's voice came out raw with emotion but her ability to act as though she wasn't afraid was rather impressive but Nines was trained to pick up on even the faintest shift in somebody's demeanor & emotion. He could pick up on anything, it came part & parcel with being an interrogator. "Nothing to lose? Is your job nothing, Detective? You can't-"

"I do not care for what happens to me once I go through with this. I just, I can't let him get away with it. I can't-" There was that familiar burning in his chest once more. A spark that grew into a furious little flame & Nines found himself fiddling with the flash drive between his twitchy fingers to keep himself composed as his thoughts plagued with the images of Gavin looking so afraid, unkempt & hurt whenever he had been around Whitman, all the while trying to put on that brave face mask that everybody was so quick to believe was real. As if what happened to him was nothing more than an inconvenience but Nines could see through the facade almost instantly. All he wanted to do was help. 

"There's a lot to go over & it's rather infuriating on just how easy Whitman has everyone covering his tracks. But, I've been compiling everything I can because even if I can't put him away for what he did to Gavin, I'll find someway to put him behind bars. He's slipped up enough times because he's a fucking moron. He just has more morons hiding the truth which is the problem. Hell, I'll incriminate him for myself if I have to. Plant evidence, I don't care-" Nines' out loud thoughts trailed off as he drew in a few deep breaths to keep his anger at bay.

Once calm, Nines began to explain everything that he had pieced together so far. Having spent hours upon hours overworking himself so he didn't give his brain a chance to think about he was never going to see GV200's perfectly sculpted face again, he had found out some rather interesting facts which had led him to being in that interrogation room a few moments prior.

To begin with, he began with blatant honesty about breaking into Fowler's digital office to get his hands on all of the files he needed. Explaining that with the sudden appearance of Cobalt, Whitman seemed to always be one step ahead. In each Cobalt case, the notes & reports were either written too poorly to give away any information or all seemed rather misleading. As if the android drug was a complete mystery despite the fact that Gavin seemed to know far more about it than anybody else. Somebody was covering their tracks.

There were multiple accounts where drugs had gone missing from lockup which, in following one of Fowler's own paper trails on Whitman, Nines had found each night they had been reported missing, it could, in one way or another, be tied back to Whitman. He wasn't sure why Fowler hadn't done anything on the matter but that wasn't his priority a the moment. It wouldn't surprise him if the captain was just as dirty as the rest of them, it'd explain why he allowed Nines to get away with such questionable actions in his interrogations. But, Whitman was the only head he was hunting.

Nines as a predator. He never missed his kill shot. He could track his prey even through the most bleak trails & Whitman wasn't going to shake him, no matter how many other officers took the fall for Whitman's actions.

He knew it was a lot to take in all at once but Tina had to know everything if she had any intentions of helping him. So, Nines continued on his tangents on all the ways he could link Whitman to knowing too much about the Cobalt, going as far as to tell Tina about how Gavin's bruises matched to those of the overdose victims & he didn't miss the way her eyes dropped to the floor, the guilt almost radiating off of her. 

That guilt only flowing more intensely, engulfing the car & threatening to suffocate them both as he explained to her that he believed her old commanding officer was concocting the drug, once using her friend as a test subject for said drug. He still didn't quite have proof of that part considering there was no Gavin to come forward & speak the truth & that's why he needed Tina's help. Surely, having worked with Whitman, she knew someth-

"Fuck!" 

The sudden outburst had taken the detective by surprise as he snapped his mouth shut, cutting his explaining short as he blinked at Chen, waiting patiently for an elaboration on her expletives.

"I, he, ugh! I knew it! I knew it all along & I didn't do anything!" Tina looked up at Nines with wide eyes that were swimming with a multitude of emotions. The most prominent being anger but he couldn't tell if it were to be directed at him, Whitman or onto herself. Before he had the chance to voice his queries, she continued, "did you like the scar on his nose?"

Nines furrowed his brows at the sudden change of topic, swallowing thickly before nodding, choosing to indulge the officer while he still had her attention. No reason to interrogate her for answers that she was going to give him anyway in her own time.

"Yeah, I loved it. Why is this relevant? It has nothing to do with our... _my_ cause."

"That's where you're wrong, Detective. It has everything to do with _our_ cause. I have the proof you need. _I_ am the proof you need."

Now that, that was interesting. Curiosities piqued, Nines shifted in his seat as he sparked up another cigarette, muttering through the cancer stick between his lips, "care to elaborate?"

So, she did exactly that.

Whitman was Tina's commanding officer while she specialized in narcotics for the longest time. When GV200 became a part of the team, they hit it off immediately & became rather close friends despite the department finding it strange that she considered a piece of equipment a friend. But, Tina always saw Gavin as a person, not as an asset. They were almost inseparable. A few months had passed & Gavin opened up to Tina about having his suspicions about evidence going missing & he felt it was somehow tied to Whitman & his dubious activities.

So, she began to tail him per to Gavin's request & she actually got dirt on the bastard. Actual proof that he was busting dealers, pocketing some of the product then selling it at a later date for some extra money. Exactly what that officer Nines had interrogated claimed he had done even though he _knew_ it was Whitman. Wilson was just taking the blame. Obviously.

One night, she finally decided to confront him, with him being her superior, her training officer, she once cared for the man & his job & didn't want what she thought was merely a small mistake, a lapse in judgement, to end up ruining his career. So, she chose to confront him personally rather than going to the captain about her findings. 

As she tried to confront him in the archive room, she had found him attempting to smuggle thirium & Red Ice into his bag so he could leave with them. Realising that it was more than just the devil on his shoulder convincing him to pocket the smaller pieces of evidence, she threatened to go to the captain after all. 

She recalls what happened next to be too fast for her memory to properly piece it all together, but, albeit brief, Nines got the idea. 

Whitman was livid that she had tailed him & found out what he was up to, she vaguely remembered it was likely that he was high on Red Ice himself with just how hostile he got so quickly. Her launched at her, hands around her neck in seconds. Gavin had lingered outside, worried as to how events would play out. He heard the struggle & forced his way in between the two & that's where Whitman took out his rage on Gavin instead, leaving Tina to escape. That's how he got the nose scar.

As he beat Gavin, she remembered hearing Whitman shout about changing the drug trade game, that what he was going to create was going to be revolutionary & they couldn't get in the way.

Unable to come forward without Whitman denying everything & taking her badge away, Tina was left defenseless. She transferred to a new unit & never spoke of the situation again. Until today.

And there it was. The root of all the guilt in which she radiated. She believed everything that had happened since that frightful night was her fault for keeping quiet.

The sheer look of shame that washed across her face was enough to have that familiar darkness surround Nines' mind, attempting to cloud his judgement. It wasn't Tina's fault, nor would it ever be, he didn't blame her for choosing to transfer & keep things quiet, she didn't have a choice. But, the rage he felt came from the fact this was just another thing that Whitman was getting away with.

"Wait, so he openly admitted to creating the Cobalt?" Many other questions pooled his mind but the detective needed to stay focused. He needed to stay on track if he wanted his plans to take down Whitman's organisation to work.

"Not exactly. He never said that was what he was doing, but stealing drugs & thirium, ranting about creating something revolutionary? That's enough proof in my opinion to show he's who started this damn android drug. It's all just too convenient but his lackeys will just keep covering his tracks, you've seen it for yourself. You're right, Nines. But, if we want to stop this before that drug gets out any further, we need to actually catch him in the act of making it? Otherwise, none of this will hold up in court or even to Fowler. We've basically got one big conspiracy on out hands-"

"Not that I was doubtful or anything of the sort but you're surprisingly calm about all of this. You're willing to tell me all of this, to testify against him-" Before he had the chance to finish his sentence, Tina was cutting him off, emotions flowing through her words as her eyes pierced straight into his soul, showing just how serious she was about helping Nines on his crusade.

"I'm doing this for the same reason you are, Nines. I know what Whitman forced Gavin into. I mean, I have no proof & he wouldn't say it but I know it. If Whitman won't get put away for that then at least we can put him behind bars for something, y'know?"

And there it was. A promise, in it's own way. The reason he needed Tina's help. She knew, just as he did, exactly what was going on & was just as willing to put her career on the line to bring justice to the innocent. That's exactly what the badge was supposed to represent in the first place. Whitman was going to pay for his crimes.

All they needed was a little bit of footage as proof & oh how convenient it was that Nines had Whitman's address from snooping through Fowler's files.

"Guess it's time for a little house call, don't you think?" With that, Nines smirked as he reversed out of the parking lot with Tina at his side. There was a time bomb inside of him, the more he learned about Whitman, the quicker it began ticking down but as dangerous as it was, his fingers twitching against the steering wheel, doing nothing would only inevitably cause more damage.

He was doing this for Gavin, after all.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if there are any spelling errors but I've been re-reading & re-typing this chapter up for like, the past four days straight; if I read it one more time, I may actually explode so-  
> Anyways, happy reading !! <3

The setting sun was bleeding through the translucent blinds, casting soft oranges & pinks across the living room, painting a generously warm mood lighting of various hues across the two men curled in one another's embrace on the couch. For a troubling world, it sure could be beautiful.

The comfortable quiet of Nines' apartment was interrupted a few moments before when there wasn't even a knock to his security bolted door before it had been flung open, a short man with blue splashed across the right side of his face stumbling through & falling straight into Nines' arms, full weight pressed into the detective's chest. There was no hesitation as Nines' arms encircled the android, holding him tightly to his chest as he made a feeble attempt to steady his shaky breathing.

"Gavin." He whispered through an unsteady breath as he buried his nose into the tousled brown hair, breathing in the scent that was GV200. Unfortunately though, he couldn't smell anything. Huh, strange. Gavin was silent as he clutched onto Nines' body as if his life depended on it, refusing to move from where he was comfortably pressed against Nines' warm chest. 

Slowly, from one motion to the next, the pair found themselves having fallen onto the couch, never being more than a centimeter apart as Nines pulled them into a comfortable position, the troubled android curled up in Nines' embrace, the detective listening intently to the calm, familiar thrum of GV200's thirium pump as it whirred steadily. It was comforting. A feeling he didn't realise he had so desperately missed.

Despite the silence between the pair being long, there was no discomfort to it. If anything, it was damn near perfect. When the silence was finally broken, however, Nines' voice cracked with emotions he wasn't entirely sure how to keep at bay.

"G-God dammit, I missed you. So much. Fuck, I missed you-" With a quiver in his voice that he didn't bother to hide, the detective maneuvered the pair much to Gavin's whines of protest so they were properly facing one another, Nines' hands finding their way to cup both of the android's cheeks, eyes glancing to the bright cyan blue that was dancing on his temple. "-You're LED.. It isn't red anymore?" 

Pulling his eyes from the cycling blue LED, Nines found himself staring into those deep, hazel eyes that he had missed so dearly. Those eyes stared back, glassy with tears that seemed to be ever brewing, always threatening to create little rivers down his cheeks. 

He was always so sad.

"It's fixed now." Gavin faintly nodded despite the hands cupping his cheeks, LED blinking a small bit faster. It was strange. A part of Nines felt almost guilty for allowing the thought to pass through his mind but he had grown accustomed to the deep crimson of Gavin's LED. It suited him, in its own way.

Red was just Gavin's colour. Maybe it was because there was always an anger brewing beneath the surface, that no matter how well the android hid it, the mood ring right there on his temple would always be a giveaway if one cared enough to notice it. Which, Nines always did. He noticed every flicker, every cycle, every momentary blink of yellow that never stuck around. He had never seen it blue. It was never blue, not until now. 

_It's fixed now_ , Nines thought to himself as he took a moment to really take in the features that he never thought he'd get to see again, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corners of the detective's lips. It was more than the stupid LED that was fixed now Gavin was back. 

His thumbs gently caressed GV200's cheekbones as he leaned in close until their foreheads were pressed together. He wanted to flutter his eyes shut & allow himself to really _feel_ Gavin's presence but, he was too afraid. Afraid that if he allowed himself to indulge in the moment, when his eyes reopened, Gavin would be gone. He couldn't risk it.

So instead, he simply stared into those beautifully crafted eyes that were home to forests thick with emotions that were always buried beneath 'I'm fine's & 'don't worry's. All he wanted was for happiness to spark in those eyes, setting the forests of sadness ablaze. He just wanted the android to feel loved, to feel important, to know he was needed. Fuck, was he needed.

After what felt like a comfortable eternity of studying Gavin's perfectly imperfect features, Nines swallowed the nerves back that were attempting to creep up his throat & before his mind had the chance to catch up with his body, he pressed his lips softly to Gavin's, hesitant until he felt the kiss being reciprocated. Only then did he allow his eyes to fall shut to embrace the moment he had been longing for from the first moment Gavin chaotically fell into his life, uprooting all he had ever known.

With thumbs still comfortingly caressing Gavin's cheeks, Nines deepened the kiss ever so slightly as he shifted them so Gavin's back was flush against the couch, Nines propped up over him, one hand supporting his weight, the other never leaving Gavin's cheek. 

Only when he pulled back to take a breather did Nines' eyes flutter back open, admiring the sight that was laying beneath him. He was content with this. Nothing had to happen, they didn't have to take things any further. Just getting to kiss him was enough. To shower the android in love & affection that he so desperately deserved. Nines could tell that Gavin was touch starved, it wasn't fair. All the android had ever known was cruelty & even if he couldn't take away the past, he was determined to help create a better future.

Leaning back down, Nines began to litter little kisses all along Gavin's cheek that his hand hadn't taken up residence on, kissing along the blue scar on his nose, admiring the way in which his nose crinkled in response to the tickle of Nines' lips. Slowly, Nines trailed little damp kisses up to the blue LED. It was cold against his lips & a part of him suspected that when it was red, it was hot. He never got to find that one out though. 

And, if Nines could wish for anything, anything at all, it would be for that exact moment to last just a little bit longer, but, men like him didn't get what they wished for.

A warm hand came up to gently rest over his own that was on the android's face & it took a long moment before Nines could properly register that said hand was damp. Why was it damp? His lips felt damp too as he placed one more kiss to that LED. 

Slowly pulling back, Nines was met with the sight that he had tried so desperately to push out of his mind. Blue. Blue everywhere. Splashed across Gavin's face, covering his own hands & Gavin's too. Leaking out of his blue LED & his regulator. Nines was really starting to fucking hate the colour blue.

"No, no, no, not again- No, please, Gavin, I-" Nines cut off what was going to be an apology so he could lick away that the damp that was on his lips, the chemical taste burning at his tongue. 

"You let me die!" Despite the sharpness to the android's tone, he didn't try to push Nines away, he just stared up with those big green eyes, disquiet being evident on his face. 

"I know! I-I tried to save you, I'm sorry! I tried to sa-"

His apology was cut short though as two blood covered hands cupped his cheeks in the same way he had done with the android merely a few moments prior. Gavin's thumbs traced little shapes along Nines' cheeks, smearing thirium along his cheekbones then along his jawline as he gently traced his fingers all along Nines' sharp features.

The detective was frozen in place above the android, murmuring barely audible apologies on repeat like a broken record as tears began to drip along his cheeks, diluting the blood tracks that Gavin was leaving behind. It wasn't fair. Nothing about Gavin's life was ever fair & Nines hated himself for only making it worse.

He couldn't move, all he could do was watch the steady stream of blue that was pouring from Gavin's regulator, drenching him & the couch in blue, it overpowering the sickening red hues that were being cast from the window. It was too much. All of the colours that swarmed his senses were making him miss how black & white his life once was. Kill or be killed, no emotions in the way. Everything was so messy now.

"You let me die, Nines. I wanted to live & _you_ took it away from me."

God, did those words sting. Like that of a thousand angry scorpions, all directing their wrath on him. Venomous & unapologetic in every way. Yet, all Nines could do once more was watch. Watch as blue trailed down his face from that stupid blue LED, watch as blue covered their legs, leaking across the couch & engulfing the floor, the room beginning to fill. There was so much blue, it was everywhere & it was going to drown him.

"-ines! Hey, buddy, wake up!"

Jolting upright from where he was slouched in the driver side of his car, the detective coughed before gasping & sucking in air as if his lungs had been denying him the most basic human function, neglecting the oxygen that was all around them. He darted his eyes around to catch his bearings as he steadied his erratic breathing. He was in his car, there was no blue filling his apartment or filling his lungs with that thick liquid until he choked on it. 

Another nightmare.

Pushing his sweat riddled curls from off of his forehead, the detective glanced to Tina who was sitting in the passenger side, her eyes swimming with worry as she scrutinized him, clearly picking apart at his disheveled, unkempt state, trying to figure out what was going on in that complicated brain of his.

Nines swallowed, reaching a hand up to run along his damp face where the Gavin of his nightmares had caressed his cheeks. Fear settled in his bones as he drew his hand back, half expecting it to be covered in blue, but thankfully, the dampness on his face was clear. No blue blood. Or red blood. Or even sweat for that matter. That's when it hit him.

_Oh._

He had been crying.

"You were whimpering. Apologising too." Tina fumbled in her pockets before pulling out a few tissues from a packet to which Nines took graciously, wiping away at the tears that were staining his cheeks. Thankfully, Tina wasn't the type to pry, to ask a thousand questions until she got an answer as to what was going on. She understood without the need for words. Something Nines greatly appreciated in that moment.

He had been running off of minimal sleep for a week now, anytime he did manage to drift off, his dreams would be plagued with him drowning in thirium, clutching onto a dying Gavin who blamed him for everything. He had convinced himself that he deserved the nightmares, but that didn't dull the ache in his chest. Whether it was his lungs aching for air or his heart aching for that soft touch, he wasn't quite sure. All he knew was that it hurt. A lot.

He & Tina had decided to stakeout Whitman's place at a safe distance for the evening as they worked out the best plan of action. Tina having convinced the detective to take a nap because, in her words, he 'looked like absolute shit'. It wasn't like the bruises along his face particularly helped that matter either. He reluctantly agreed seeing as he was already worn out from lack of energy from lack of sleep, the interrogation, arguing with Connor, losing his badge... The list went on. He only agreed with the promise that Tina would wake him if she saw any suspicious activity. 

She had even sworn on that through a pinky promise. Something that Nines found strangely endearing.

"Yeah, nightmares."

"That explains the Gucci bags beneath your eyes, Trouble." Despite the joke, he could tell there was an understanding in her eyes.

"Actually, I'll have you know that they're Versace." Nines quipped back, earning a soft, genuine giggle from Tina. A part of him wondered if Tina gave everybody nicknames, not that he minded. She may be the only person who he didn't mind calling him by anything other than Nines.

A twang of warmth plucked at his heart, ebbing away at some of that constant ache that sat heavy in his chest. He wasn't one for humour, or for anything at all that could crack a smile in another human for that matter. But, there was something about Tina. Maybe it was the way in which they had first met; she was the first & only person to stand up to him because she wanted to keep GV200 safe. Or maybe it was because after all he had done, after all she had seen him do, she was still here at his side to keep him in check.

"Fancy. Anyway, I tried to wake you, like, ten minutes ago, but you wouldn't budge. Nothing has really happened, it doesn't look like anyone is home, but I noticed Whitman has a cellar & the doors are heavily bolted up. Too heavily for just a boring cellar-" She pointed to the small, sloping storm doors in the ground to the left of Whitman's house, the padlocks gleaming under the street lamp.

"Hm, let's go check it out. If he isn't home then that's better for us." Nines nodded as he grabbed his leather jacket from the backseat of his car, pulling it on & zipping it up, about to get out of the car, only to be interrupted by Tina's hand gently being placed on his arm.

"You're a detective. Badge or not, you know we need probable cause before entering private property. No matter what we think -what we know- is going on behind closed doors, we still have to follow protocol." Tina was right. They couldn't just allow themselves in without a warrant. Not unless they had reason to believe they _had_ to break in. Unless-

"Are you sure nobody is home?"

"Pretty sure, yeah? I mean, there's no car outside, lights are off?"

"Wait here." Nines smirked to himself as he pulled on a pair of leather gloves to match his jacket before hopping out of his car, heading around to the boot to pull out a crowbar, striding up to Whitman's house all the while sticking to the shadows, avoiding the yellow glow being cast by the street lights, throwing the crowbar up in the air & catching it a few times in a cocky manner before throwing it forcefully at the front window of Whitman's house, eyes gleaming in awe at the destruction by his hands as the crowbar shattered the window, glass flying everywhere.

With an innocent smile, he glanced back to Tina, who, as wide eyes watched every movement the detective made, strode up to his side, a look that was a mixture of disappointment & anger washed across her features. But, trained in knowing every emotion in somebody's eyes, he could see the underlying exhilaration beneath that dismay. She wanted the destruction just as much as he did. Even if she wouldn't admit it.

"What the hell, Nines?!"

"Officer Chen! I'm so happy you're here, I heard reports of a possible B&E, came to check it out. As an unarmed officer, I need your assistance to be sure the house is secure." That familiar smirk fell back upon Nines' lips, the split in his lip still causing it to be lopsided however. A spark of enjoyment twinkled through the dark look in his grey eyes as he spoke with fabricated concern.

Tina shook her head, throwing a glare to Nines before making her way up to the front door, shouting the usual DPD spiel about being armed officers who will be making their way in despite knowing there were no intruders. She was going to follow protocol, even if the criminal was standing right at her side.

The pair exchanged a look & a nod before Tina shoulder barged the door hard enough to crack the lock, then forcefully booting the door so it swung open the rest of the way.

"Y'know I could have done that-" He didn't mean it in a degrading way in the slightest, Tina was strong as hell & he wouldn't doubt her ability to kick his ass in a heartbeat, but, he was built with more muscle than the officer was, meaning it would have hurt him less than it did her.

Thankfully, Tina knew he didn't mean anything bad by his words. "Sorry, handsome, can't just let you have all the fun now, can I? Besides, technically you already broke in. It was my turn." She flashed Nines a cheeky smile before drawing her gun, holding it out in front of her as she proceeded to check the other rooms before making it to the kitchen as Nines shut the front door behind him, snooping around Whitman's personal belongings in the living room. With his gloves on, everything was free reign for the detective to inspect without the worry of leaving a trace. 

The house was a mess. It came as no surprise that Whitman lived like a pig, the stench of alcohol lingering around the house was unmissable. There were ominous stains on the couch, which had Nines grimacing at the thought of what happened for them to get there. There were discarded pizza boxes & beer bottles littered around the room; the ramshackle house was a pathetic excuse for a home.

Nines grabbed his crowbar before heading to the kitchen to meet with Chen, looking through the cupboards until he found the one with a few blue bottles stashed in there at the back behind an assortment of whiskey bottles. He pulled out one of the thirium bottles that was still sealed, holding it up to show Tina.

"Gavin told me once that the only way he could get thirium was through Whitman. The thirium is supplied to the DPD which is then given to the android's handler who's supposed to give it to the android when needed." Tina nodded as she listened to Nines speak, peaking into the cupboard in which Nines took the bottle from, a forlorn look falling across her features as she saw the other sealed thirium bottles at the back of the cupboard.

"Oh."

"He was withholding it from him, Tina. The bastard was essentially starving the poor thing! Hell, what if Gavin had full thirium levels when he was shot... I, he, dammit, Tina! He could have survived!" Nines slammed the thirium bottle on the table before running a hand through his unruly hair in frustration, disheveling his curls slightly as his other hand tightened around the crowbar. "It's all his fault. Everything is his fucking fault."

"What if's will eat you alive, Nines. You can't think like that if you want to stay level headed." The officer sighed softly as she spoke in a calm tone, completely unaffected by the anger that radiated from the detective that loomed over her. Any other person would have flinched back the moment Nines raised his voice, they would have ran straight out the door seeing him holding something that could so easily be used as a weapon, but, Tina had seen real anger. Real criminals, real bad guys & Nines was not one of those. He had his monsters but he wasn't them. That was the difference between him & men like Whitman. 

"C'mon, tough guy. Time to check the cellar then we can get outta here. Nothin' interesting in the other rooms besides more proof that it's hard to believe anybody would want to break into this place. It's a fucking disaster." She spoke quietly as she followed Nines out the backdoor, taking note of the keys his sticky fingers had swiped from somewhere in the living room. 

Heading to the cellar, Nines flipped between the keys he had stolen earlier before rolling his eyes, muttering, "always having to do everything for myself. Very frustrating." Kneeling down, the detective placed the keys & the crowbar on the ground, rummaging through his pockets, pulling out a few thin pieces of metal around the same size as a hair slide.

"The only upside to arrogant, bullheaded cunts like Whitman? They hate new age technology because they think it'll grow legs & kick their asses, which, I suppose did sort of happen. But, it does mean they stick to old security rather than Cyberlife grade systems. It makes my life easier." Nines glanced up at Tina with a sly look on his face before turning his attention back to the padlocks, nimble fingers working away at picking each of the locks flawlessly until they were each on the ground. With no indication of the locks giving him any trouble, Tina was beginning to notice Nines really did have a backlog of questionable talents.

This was a sleuth that was raising many questions that Tina wasn't entirely sure if she wanted the answers to or not. She could tell Nines was walking towards the gallows, but, she wasn't about to let him walk alone.

Leaving the crowbar & the locks on the floor outside, Nines made his way down into the cellar with Tina in tow, their footfalls almost completely silent besides the odd creaking step. Tina was the first to feel for a light switch, the overhead light coming to life above them, flickering & buzzing quietly which only pulled a quiet groan from Tina who muttered, "what is it with creepy basements, flickering lights & creaky stairs? That's literally the recipe for 'bad guy', dontcha think?" Despite her voice being soft, it still echoed around the chilly basement. 

"It's the recipe for something, that's for sure." Nines noted as he looked around the basement, heading towards a table to the far side that had an assortment of papers & empty bottles on it, pushing aside the feeling of unease that was settling into his gut, brushing it off as nothing more than feeling uncomfortable without having his firearm weighing down his holster. But, something felt off, as if he was missing something that was right in front of his face.

Tina explored the rest of the spacious basement while Nines was distracted with the papers. The rest of the basement was filled with various boxes pushed against the walls, tools littering the floor. At just a glance, it seemed to be nothing more than a boring old basement used for storage but something inside of Nines told him that there was something more. He just couldn't see it yet.

"Seems a little too surreptitious to me, Chen."

"You do realise that we don't all speak like we read a dictionary as a bedtime story, right?" Tina chuckled as she cautiously checked the corners of the basement, as if being sure there were no monsters lurking in the shadows that the flickering overhead light was casting.

"What I was _trying_ to say was that this cellar just seems too guarded? Too kept secret considering its lack of incriminating contents, no?" Nines had taken up rummaging through all of the papers that had been left on the small table as Tina shuffled around somewhere behind him. The words & numbers on the papers having been scrawled in a handwriting that was far too illegible for Nines to decipher. Whatever was written had been written in a hurry.

With no reply from Tina, the detective assuming she was busy exploring for herself, Nines continued poring over the various papers until the glint of something shining near the ground caught his attention just as it had caught the light. As the detective crouched down to further inspect what it was, that uneasy feeling began to fester in his stomach once more, leaving a bitter taste sitting in his mouth.

Handcuffs. One side cuffed to a reinforced metal pipe, the other still closed shut but hanging loose.

If Nines had to bet his life on it, he wouldn't hesitate because he knew with every fiber of his being that if it didn't become invisible to the human eye, those handcuffs would be covered in blue blood. A part of him knew he was missing something that he couldn't quite see. As it turned out, it was literally impossible for him to see it, but, he knew it was there & it only had that ache in his chest growing.

It explained the bruises that he had seen along one of GV200's wrists. Oh how he was going to make Whitman suffer.

"Hey, Ti-" The creaking of one of the basement stairs cut Nines' sentence short before he had the chance to explain his findings to the officer & as one hand instinctively dropped to his holster, he silently cursed himself for handing his gun to Connor.

The silence of the basement was somewhat deafening & the creaking of the steps - no matter how quiet - cut through that silence like a gunshot. Silently, Nines stood himself up to his full height, pulling his eyes away from the handcuffs because he knew that if he stared at them for too long, there would be no stopping him from tearing the house down brick by brick as the lid to the anger & pain he had bottled up came undone. 

Only when he saw nobody at the stairwell did the detective speak up. "Chen, you good back there?" The officer had taken up exploring the far side of the basement behind some boxes, Nines had assumed she was as focused as he was which was why she was so quiet. But, since the creak of the stairs, the air had shifted, something was different. Nines could sense the lingering danger.

"Tina?"

"Ugh! Ni-" Tina's shout was cut off by a yelp of pain & the shuffling of feet. A struggle.

Nines' fight or flight instincts kicked into play as he hurried to where Tina was investigating, the overhead light being far too dim for him to properly see what was in front of him. Fucking basements.

"Sorry, Prick, Chen can't come to the phone right now, can I take a message?" A deep, familiar voice filled with fabricated kindness gave Nines the answer he needed as to what had happened to Tina, as those words fell thick in the air surrounding them, it was as if they had ripped the lid off of the bottle that was containing Nines' hostility.

"I swear to God if you hurt her!" Nines all but growled as lunged into the darkness, straining his eyes in an attempt to see where Tina was, gulping as his foot hit against something warm. _Shit._

Instinctively, he dropped to his knees, relying on his other senses to do the work that his eyes couldn't, carefully feeling for Tina's frame, pressing two fingers against her neck in search for a pulse. Thankfully, it didn't take long for him to find it, sighing in relief as he whispered a soft apology to the unconscious officer before gently tracing his hand along her head to feel for any injuries, gulping as his hand came back damp. 

Tina needed a hospital. But, this was Nines' chance to have Whitman pay for what he'd done & Nines would always be the selfish brother. Picking his own wants over the needs of others. 

Right as Nines was about to feel for Tina's firearm, his actions were cut short by the sound of a gun cocking behind him. _Obviously._

There were many moments in Nines' life where he found himself in a predicament, trying to figure out which of his previous actions had led him to that point. More often than not, he put it down to karma whether he believed in it or not because it seemed to be the most liable explanation. This, was one of those moments. 

He had written out his own fate the second he decided to point his gun at an officer who had lost his badge. History was repeating itself except this time, he was the one with no badge, being held at gunpoint. _Talk about foreshadowing_ , Nines snickered to himself. He wasn't at all surprised, nor did he care for this wasn't the first time he'd been held at gunpoint, completely lacking the upper hand & he was certain that it wouldn't be the last... Given that he survived.

Although, there was a part of him that wanted to get out alive. Or at the very least, he wanted to not die. Somehow, there was a small difference between being alive & merely surviving.

He needed to survive, just long enough to see Tina leave the basement safely because the thought of leaving her unconscious & alone with Whitman had a nervous tension bubbling in his gut that he channeled into the self preservation that he seemed to be lacking as of late.

"Alright, alright. I was just checking to be sure your volatile ass didn't kill her. You want me? You got me." Holding up both of his hands in a surrendering fashion, Nines slowly stood himself up & stepped out of the shadows & into the light, trying to ignore the blood that was smeared across the hand he had used to check Tina for physical trauma as he stood opposite Whitman who had one hand pointing Tina's gun directly at Nines' chest, his other hand holding his crowbar. The bastard was going to use his own weapons against him? Fine. Nines liked to be play dirty.

"Looking for something, Detective? Or should I say _Richard?"_ The smug, knowing look that Whitman had plastered across his face as enough to feed the darkness that was brewing inside of the detective. Hearing the name only Connor could get away with calling him from time to time come from the mouth of America's Greatest Dickhead only fueled the sadistic fantasies Nines had about all the ways he could make Whitman suffer.

Nines stayed silent as his eyes followed the crowbar as Whitman threw it to the ground, it landing with a loud clatter, the sound echoing & bouncing around the walls. The detective knew that Whitman had used the crowbar to incapacitate Tina & found his insides curling in frustration at the thought that yet again, it was his complacency that had somebody else getting hurt instead of him.

"You did your research then? Funny, I didn't think there was a brain in that head of yours-"

Just because he had to stay alive for Tina's sake didn't mean he couldn't flirt with death. Just a little bit. Just enough to unnerve the man opposite him enough for him to drop his guard. 

"And to answer your question... Actually-" Nines began as he slowly took a step forward, cocking an eyebrow curiously as Whitman's finger curled ever so slightly around the trigger. Being the masochist that he was, the detective simply allowed a small smirk to toy at the corners of his lips as he took a few more steps forward until the barrel of Tina's gun was digging right into his sternum.

He supposed if he were to die, there'd be some poetic justice in being shot in the same spot that Gavin had. "-I found exactly what I was looking for."

"Hm.." Whitman's free hand disappeared into his pocket, pulling out a small blue vial, dangling it in front of Nines' face as he continued, "then you know exactly what this is & why I can't just let you walk out of here & ruin everything me & that stupid robot were working towards. Who's gonna vouch for you, huh? Everybody always believes me. Deranged detective who lost his badge also lost his mind. Broke into an officer's home unprovoked & attacked him. The officer had no other choice than to use lethal force. How's that sound? Chen wouldn't say a thing, the bucket of bolts aint here either, not that it had any spine to speak up anyways. Your brother knows that you should be in a padded room. So, there wouldn't be much of a loss, huh?"

Tilting his head ever so slightly in a curious manner as he looked at the vial, Nines let out a deflated sigh as he dropped his eyes to the gun, pouting to act as though Whitman's words had any affect on him at all before returning his focus to Whitman's eyes, features morphing back into their usual stoic state as a dark look swam in his eyes, the detective speaking up after a moment of silence.

"There's just one thing I've never understood about men like you-"

"I'm an honorable man, I can give a guy his final words." Whitman sneered as his finger toyed with the trigger. Nines couldn't help but feel it to be rather pathetic that Whitman was even attempting to antagonize or scare him. Hell, Nines practically invented the scare tactic that the man was using. "Consider me interested, Richy?"

If Nines wasn't mistaken, he was positive he just heard the sound of his patience snapping.

"There's no honor among thieves, asshole, you should know that. What I've never understood however, is your need for a boring speech. It simply gives me the time to calculate my pl-" Cutting off his own sentence right as Whitman's curiosities had been piqued, Nines slammed one hand firmly into the side of the gun, gripping it in the process as he shoved with all of his force so it was no longer pointing at his sternum.

A gunshot echoed throughout the basement in the process of his disarming, causing a ringing in Nines' ears followed by a flash of white hot pain through his side as the blue vial from Whitman's other hand clattered to the ground.

His method of disarming Whitman was more sloppy than he would have liked but being as low on energy as he was, it was the best he could manage at that point. 

With one hand still on the gun, the detective threw a punch to Whitman's jaw before the man had to process the fluidity of Nines' movements. Even when running on barely any sleep, fighting with his tormented mind, Nines was always the smartest man in a room. Ever calculating his next moves. He had been piecing together his course of actions from the moment he heard the stairs creak.

"Call me fucking Richy again & I'll cut your fucking tongue out." Ignoring the pain that was beginning to radiate through his left side, Nines slammed Whitman's hand against the wall repeatedly until he heard the gun clatter to the ground. Only then did he sigh in relief, pressing one hand instinctively to where the pain was flaring up in his ribs.

Before he had time to assess the damage though, Whitman was tackling him to the ground, pinning him down as he scrabbled for the gun that was just barely out of reach. "You just don't know when to give up, do you?" He spat angrily as Nines kicked a leg out to boot the gun further out of Whitman's reach, only resulting in fueling Whitman's rage even more so. 

"What can I say? I have a habit of pushing my luck." His tone mocking, Nines replied from beneath the officer that was pinning him down. Whitman's knees were either side of Nines' hips with one of Nines' hands being pinned to the ground beneath one of the man's knees. 

Whitman's fist collided with the spot on Nines' ribs that the bullet had hit, tugging a pained groan from the detective's throat as he grumbled out, "low blow, asshole." But, before he had time to react, Whitman's hand was already tangled in Nines' hair, first punching him twice, fist colliding unapologetically with his cheekbone before Whitman slammed Nines' head back against the unforgiving concrete floor of the basement. 

"You got a pretty big fuckin' mouth for a dead man!"

As his vision began to grow blotchy, Nines smirked faintly up at the man above in response, with no other intention other than to further antagonize him. He needed him angry. Reckless. _Anger makes you stupid, stupid gets you killed._ The quote from an old TV show passed through the detective's thoughts. As his head was slammed a second time against the cold floor, his mind began to flood with the thought of how Gavin had likely been in this exact position. Whitman had beaten him to the point where he had spent two days in a Cyberlife repair center.

Nines couldn't hep the sad chuckle that escaped his lips at the thought that he probably wouldn't be walking away from this one. Not in one piece anyway.

"You think this is funny? You enjoying this? You're fucking insane!" Whitman spat as his fist slammed into Nines' sensitive right cheek yet again, the force of the punch reopening the split in Nines' lip that was just barely beginning to heal from his last run in with provoking people into painting his face his various shades of purple. If he survived until the end of the night, he would probably be too scared to look at his own reflection, what, with having bruises upon bruises stacking up on his usually pristine face.

"Y'know-" The detective paused simply to spit out the blood that was beginning to pool in his mouth onto the concrete beside his head, his eye catching sight of the crowbar in the process. "-I get told that on a regular basis. Personally, I don't see it?" He shrugged faintly, using his free hand to reach for the crowbar as he blinked a few times in an attempt to focus his blurred vision on Whitman, continuing to wriggle his way under the man's skin with his carefully chosen words.

"I could say the same about you though. You enjoying yourself up there? Pinning me down? Overpowering me? That's just your type, right? Or do you prefer it when they don't fight back?" Nines winked - he fucking winked - up at Whitman, watching as his words became gasoline, dousing himself while the man above him was the match. He sure did enjoy playing with fire.

"Does it boost your pathetic excuse of an ego to have a sense of control?" Even in situations where he lacked any control, Nines was always playing dirty, ever calculating which words to use to get the best results. He was an interrogator, being manipulative was simply part of the job. He was baiting & it was working.

This time, he had planted the punch that was about to happen so right as Whitman threw his fist toward Nines' cheek, he jerked his head to the side so Whitman's knuckles collided with the concrete floor with a sickening crunch, pulling a grin from the detective. Using this as his golden opportunity, Nines lurched his body to the side, fingers outstretched as far as they could so he could grab the crowbar, grasping it & slamming it into the back of Whitman's head, giving him the chance to flip their positions so he was the one on top.

No matter how bleak his chances seemed, Nines always came out on top.

"So, tell me-" With knees either side of Whitman's ribs, on top of the man's wrists so he was completely stuck beneath Nines' weight, a nefarious smirk tugged at the corners of his lips at the fear that was settling into Whitman's eyes, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Nines dropped the crowbar, grabbing the small blue vial, holding it up as if to inspect it with a fake inquisitive look on his features, "-You just handcuffed Gavin over there & what? Tested this on him until you got your perfect recipe?" 

Raising an eyebrow in question, the detective slowly unscrewed the cap off of the vial, tapping his finger against the small glass bottle impatiently as he waited for a response. When none came, he shrugged, a maniacal grin that was downright terrifying replacing the small smirk he once wore, muttering, "thirium 310. Toxic to humans when ingested. I wonder just how lethal it could be when combined with other substances like what we have right here?" 

With yet another silence from the man beneath him, Nines spoke up with confidence despite the pain that was lighting up the nerves in his ribs & along his face - trying to cause his voice to waiver, "don't feel like talking all of a sudden? Fine. Have it your way-" Gripping Whitman's jaw in an iron tight grasp, his other hand edged the vial close to the man's lips.

"Wait! Wait! Fuck! Alright, yeah, I did that. But it was necessary to get the right formula! It'll change everything, you wouldn't understa-"

"You're right, I don't. I don't understand how you could not only create a drug that could potentially kill thousands but you tortured, humiliated & assaulted your own partner in the process. What did he ever do to you to deserve your cruelty? Doesn't matter the colour in which they bleed, we're all people."

Using his free hand, Nines threw a punch to Whitman's jaw, relishing in the way he felt the man's teeth clatter together before leaning down closer so their faces were barely an inch apart. Despite using a low, quiet voice, the anger seeping through his words was amplified with each passing second.

"You know my name, you've done your research like a clever boy. Which means you've seen what I've done to men like you." A falsified innocent smile graced the detective's features as he patted Whitman's cheek. "I'd count your blessings considering your kneecaps are still facing the right direction. I just have one question: _why?"_ Nines glanced to the vial he was holding close to Whitman's lips then back to the man's eyes, whispering, "I'd think carefully about that answer if I were you."

Whitman wasn't just afraid, he was fucking terrified. Just as Gavin had been. He deserved to feel just as helpless as Gavin had & Nines would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying every second of it.

"Dealers make more money than I ever could! A-and for what? Being a criminal? I-I, y'know what? Fuck you & fuck the little shit for ruining everything! All it had to do was shut up & follow orders. The bitch was made to be obey." Whitman smirked as he spat out the blood from where Nines had knocked one of his teeth loose, the blooded spittle landing on Nines' jacket.

The detective slowly lowered his head to look at where the blood landed, grumbling, "I really wish you hadn't done that" before headbutting Whitman straight in the nose, earning a yelp of agony in response, blood streaming down the officer's face, dripping into his lips but that didn't stop him from continuing to shout at the detective that was pinning him down.

"Fuck you! You're fucking damaged, man! If I could do it all again, I fuckin' would! Only difference? When I ripped the little sex bot's regulator out, I wouldn't have given it back, no matter how hard it begged me & trust me, it sure could beg-" Whitman remarked with false confidence. A false confidence that could have every other person fooled but not Nines. He could see straight through the act.

Tutting in disappointment, Nines shook his head as he spoke in an almost dissatisfied tone. "You never fail to disappoint me, you know that? Wrong answer."

Using the hand that was forcefully gripping Whitman's jaw, the detective dug his fingers into the sensitive skin around his jaw with enough force to yank a pained groan from the officer, his mouth opening the tiniest amount in the process but it being enough for Nines to pour the entire contents of the tainted thirium into Whitman's mouth, swiftly throwing the vial aside & before Whitman had the chance to spit it out, Nines used one hand to clasp over the man's mouth, his other hand pinching at his busted nose so he had no other choice than to swallow the toxic liquid if he wanted to breathe again. Not that it mattered.

"Not nice is it? Being forced into doing things that you don't want to do. Having no other choice than to give in & submit? I'm just giving you a taste of your own medicine... Pun intended." Nines let out a soft yet maniacal laugh as Whitman thrashed beneath his weight, kicking his legs & humming incoherent sentences against the detective's hand, only resulting in him pressing harder against the officer's mouth & nose until he heard Whitman finally swallow after what felt like an eternity, only then did he remove his hands from the officer's face, seeming almost detached from his emotions as he muttered without even a hint of the anger he had just a few moments prior, "now, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Nines' grey eyes were empty. Void of any spark of satisfaction for finally getting what he had fantasized over for weeks. Even the fear that was written all over Whitman's face wasn't enough to bring a sense of joy to the detective. All he felt was hatred. 

Leaning close so his mouth was barely a few millimeters from Whitman's ear, ignoring the way in which the man was coughing & spluttering beneath him, Nines spoke barely above a whisper but the pure, undiluted hatred that dripped from his words was enough to settle fear into anybody's bones. "I could have so easily put a bullet in your skull, but that seemed too easy. I've been dreaming about watching you suffer for what you've done. You really think I'd let a rapist drug dealer piece of shit walk free? A prison sentence would have been too fucking kind. You were never going to get through tonight, Whitman. No matter what advantage you ever thought you had, I was always one step ahead. Just be grateful you're still in one piece, even if your stomach is tearing itself apart right as we speak."

As he pulled back, he could see the pure terror & trepidation in the eyes of a man who once believed to be unstoppable. A man who thrived off of control & power but in all the wrong ways. Maybe he didn't get the poetic justice of being shot right in the sternum but at least he got the poetic justice of poisoning a man with his own creation. 

"I hope it hurts." Were the last words Nines muttered through grit teeth, spitting out the blood that was in his mouth right beside Whitman's head before staggering to his feet, using the last of his energy to boot the man forcefully in the jaw, then in the ribs as Whitman rolled onto his side in a weak attempt to cough up the thirium that he had been forced to ingest to no avail.

With unsteady hands, Nines unzipped his leather jacket so he could look down at his shirt, swallowing thickly at the deep crimson red that was drenching his left side from where the bullet had hit against his ribs. Despite the agony that was sparking through his left side & the darkness that was overtaking his mind, Nines was grateful that for once, it was red blood that was being spilled rather than blue. 

With one hand pressed across his ribs, the detective grabbed Tina's gun, shoving it into his holster before making his way to the unconscious officer. Despite a bullet wound, bleeding wounds on his head & a reopened split lip that was trickling blood down his chin, Nines still managed to scoop Tina up in his arms, bridal style, cautiously carrying her out of the basement, stumbling towards his car so he could drive them to the hospital, leaving Whitman to choke on his own blood & vomit. 

As Nines limped towards his car on unsteady feet, the sight before him had him freezing in place as he looked up from where he was watching his feet to be sure he didn't trip over anything while carrying the unconscious officer. He knew his head had been hit relatively hard against the concrete floor considering there was still a ringing in his ears & it was still difficult to focus his eyes on anything & the edges of his vision were still slightly fuzzy, but surely he hadn't hit his head hard enough to hallucinate.

Sucking in a shaky breath, trying to ignore the way his heart stuttered in his chest, the sight before him had Nines blinking a few times as if somehow, blinking would prove that what he was seeing wasn't either a figment of his concussed imagination or yet another dream ready to end in tragedy. 

But even as he blinked, the sight before him never faltered. This was real. He wasn't asleep, not this time.

"G-Gavin?" The words came out barely above a whisper in a hoarse, tired voice that was barely audible, filled with pain, but he knew, if he was really there, the android would be able to hear it.

GV200 was leaning against the bonnet of Nines' car, one leg propped up against the bumper, hands tucked into the pockets of the worn out, off-red leather jacket that Nines had given to him under the condition that he didn't damage it.

If there was one thing he could always recognise even through his bleary vision, was that bright, glowing crimson that sat, steadily cycling on the android's right temple, illuminating the perfectly crafted features of Gavin's face. There was no sickening blue. It was red. How it was always meant to be. 

Maybe he couldn't fix the physical trauma, he couldn't take away the agony in his ribs, the ache in his head & face, the torment behind his eyes, or the monsters in his brain, driving him to get blood on his hands but the ache in his chest that was once all consuming slowly began to fizzle away in nothing as a simple two words were spoken, proving once more that this wasn't simply another nightmare, no matter how much blood had been spilled that night.

"Hey, Meatbag."


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally reunited, Nines at last gets a chance to spend some alone time with the android who so quickly turned his life upside down. They were going to have to deal with the aftermath of their actions but at least they had one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a hot second to get this chapter out, I've been struggling with it for a while but you can thank Leonixon for being an absolute babe & pulling me out of my writers block. Thank you. The fluff in this chapter is dedicated to you.

Nightmare after nightmare had kept the detective awake for days on end, never getting more than a few broken hours of rest each night. His body was weak, his muscles ached, his wounds were taking longer to heal & he was barely eating or functioning like a normal human. If people were not too afraid to speak up, they may have actually voiced their concerns for him. But, not even Connor had bothered to point out his lack of care for his presentation.

With his head pounding, a ringing still sitting in his ears & the gunshot wound causing him to feel more & more lethargic with each passing second from the blood loss, Nines wasn't even sure how long he had been standing there with Tina in his arms, staring at the android that was leaning against the bonnet of his car. He was trying to his best to decipher whether or not what he was seeing was true or whether it was his cruel brain toying with him, morphing more of what he thought was reality into yet another nightmare that had him so unkempt.

Brains were tricky at the best of times, especially one with trauma that no matter how hard he tried to cover up with a dark, unapproachable personality, would always linger in the background; reminding him of his anxieties & loneliness. If his nightmares could so easily seep into his daydreams, who's to say any of this was real? Was he going to wake up on the concrete floor outside a bar? Did Whitman kill him & this was heaven? No. Men like Nines didn't get to go to heaven & they definitely didn't get second chances like the one that was standing before him in that very moment.

It was only when GV200 pushed himself off of the bonnet of the car, standing to his full height & took a step closer to the detective did he snap back into reality, stumbling backwards to escape the inevitable stream of blue that would engulf him. But, nothing came. No blue. Only red. Red blinking faster, rapidly spinning as a disquieted look of nervousness washed over the android's features. Ever nervous. 

But, the pain flaring up along Nines' ribs at even the smallest of movements & the unconscious officer in his arms was enough of a reminder that this was real. And Gavin was there. It was real. It had to be real because quite frankly, he wasn't too sure what he'd do if it wasn't.

He didn't believe in God, the closest he got was believing there was some form of fate, a path he had crafted from his own actions & was then destined to walk down. That path usually consisted of pain & heartache. So, if this was real & really was a second chance, he found himself unsure on what to do, so, he did the only thing his fuzzy brain could think of in that moment & he glanced up at the stars, mouthing a thank you into the dark abyss above. Whether anybody was listening or not, he was grateful.

The discombobulated detective focused on trying to even out his breathing as he puled himself together, stepping past the android so he could lay Tina down along the backseats of his car as carefully as he could, slowly pulling off his leather jacket with a grimace & rolling up it up to put beneath Tina's head as a makeshift pillow. 

Once Tina was situated safely in the car with the door shut, Nines drew in a deep breath as if to mentally prepare himself as he turned on his heels, giving the android who was standing idly a once over before swiftly making his way over to him as if there was fire burning beneath his feet, wasting no time in throwing his arms around Gavin despite the agony that was searing through his nerves. Nines pulled the android firmly into his chest, his arms crushingly tight around the smaller man's metal frame.

Burying his face into Gavin's soft hair, the detective didn't bother to try & subdue the tears that were beginning to flow freely down his cheeks, dampening the tousled brown hair in a matter of seconds.

"A-are you real? Fuck, I hate you, you stupid God damn robot. I hate you so much. Why did you have to go & leave me, huh?" Nines rambled on in a voice cracked with emotion, barely coherent as he held Gavin close, breathing in the smell that was GV200. A part of him so badly wanted to bring up the fact the android smelled more like a new car than he did alcohol - which was a welcoming change, but, the words just kept getting lost in his throat & instead, simply came out as 'i hate you's that he didn't mean.

"You bastard. You come back a-and you don't even hug me back?" Nines rasped out, barely above a whisper into the android's hair as he clutched onto his smaller frame.

"Nines, uh, you're pinning my arms down, I can't." Words laced with a soft, genuine laugh, Gavin's voice was muffled against the chest he was being forced against, - not that he minded - but he knew Nines had heard him as he felt a soft, weak laugh riddled with whimpers escape the detective's lips, followed by an 'oh' as he loosened his grip, just enough for GV200 to wriggle his arms out, wrapping them around Nines' neck.

He didn't hug back immediately, rather, he simply stood, bright green eyes sparkling beneath the street lamp as he studied Nines' battered & bruised face, his brows furrowing tightly together as he properly took in the sight before him with a scrutinizing look on his face that lacked any judgement.

"Oh, Nines. What did you do?"

There it was. The question that could inevitably ruin everything if Nines decided to speak the truth. Which, he would, because he couldn't lie to Gavin even if he wanted to. The android had dealt with nothing but liars & assholes throughout his whole life. Nines wasn't going to allow his second chance at life start off with anything other than complete & utter honesty. No matter the outcome.

"I, he, Gavin-" Nines began as he drew in a deep breath, trying his best to wrangle in his thoughts so he could form them into carefully crafted sentences. Something that he was supposed to be a master at. He was nothing if not a mastermind when it came to forming sentences to always have the conversation flowing in his favour, yet, whenever he was around Gavin, any ability of that seemed to just get lost somewhere, being replaced with butterflies the size of pterodactyls fluttering around his insides, tearing away at the defensive walls he had spent years building up around himself. 

"You have to understand that I wasn't about to simply let him walk free after what he did to you, Gavin. He _hurt_ you. I cou-"

"No. That's not what I was asking. I mean, what did you do?" Gavin repeated but time time he used one hand to gesture to Nines' face, very delicately ghosting his fingers along the bruises & cuts that littered the right side of his face, his thumb resting along the split in Nines' lip which caused his sad smile to sit lopsided on his face, tears welling in his eyes once more. He wasn't too sure if it was due to the stinging of his skin beneath Gavin's touch or if it was because, finally, fucking finally, he got to really _feel_ Gavin once more. He liked to assume it was the latter.

That's when the realisation hit him like a freight train. Gavin wasn't asking what he had done to Whitman. He likely wasn't even expecting an answer to the question either. He just didn't appreciate that Nines had allowed himself to get hurt in the process of whatever it was he had done to end up with the bruises & wounds in the first place.

Even as Nines looked like he should be behind bars, which, he probably should be; Gavin was still more concerned about Nines' health above everything else. A trait that Gavin had shown right from the first moment Nines had shown his violent tendencies when he had punched Whitman back in the precinct. Gavin saw the demons, he saw the monster that Nines was so easily consumed by, yet, he still just wanted Nines to be okay.

As Nines shifted just enough to press a hand over the wound on his ribs, as if only just remembering that he'd been shot a few moments prior, the detective froze in place as GV200's hand that wasn't on his face dropped to officer Chen's gun that was sitting in his holster.

Nightmares seeping into reality. He should have known better. 

"Gav-"

The sentence was cut off however as Gavin wrapped his fingers around the gun, the sadness in his eyes unmissable as he pulled out the firearm, taking a long step back so he could point the pistol at Nines' head with a short space between them, his finger sitting confidently on the trigger.

There was something different about GV200, something that Nines just couldn't quite put his finger on. In every nightmare he had, Gavin was calm, then angry. His LED was blue despite the anger beneath the surface & he always drowned in thirium. Not once had he been held at gun point. This was different. He wasn't angry. No, he was _hurting_. It was evident in the way his voice crackled with static.

"You hurt me. Again & again! You used me! You called me cruel names even though I never did anything to you! I just wanted to live. I just wanted to be fucking _human!"_ The way the static laced around the words that were spilling from Gavin's mouth had those tears welling in Nines' eyes once more. The detective stared down the barrel of the gun, arms wrapped around himself as if somehow he could hug the pain away that was sitting in his ribs, creeping along his chest. Every word pulling at his heartstrings, the next being far more painful than the last.

"I was nothing to you! Just a, fuck, just a thing! A means to an end. An asset to use as you please, when you please, without you having to worry about what I would say because of course I wouldn't say a thing! If I said anything, they'd know-they'd know I'm a deviant & they'd take me away! I-" Gavin's sentences were beginning to falter, his voice growing shakier even as his hand stayed steady, finger tightening ever so slightly around the trigger.

Nines had never heard Gavin say the word out loud, not that he cared what Gavin was. Deviant, none deviant. Coded to feel & replicate human emotion or not. He was just, well, he was Gavin.

People often said that androids & humans were completely different. That androids were nothing more than impostors, reading from a script to mimic & replicate what humans could do. But, Nines hadn't seen anybody with as much humanity as GV200.

So, if he were to die at the hands of the android, he was okay with it. 

"You shouldn't want to be human, Gavin. You're perfect just as you are. I lov-"

A gunshot sliced through the words that Nines was finally braving to say aloud & as the Gavin pulled the trigger with thirium based tears falling along his cheeks, Nines expected to feel the pain of his life leaving his body. He expected to feel the bullet pass right between his eyes. To feel everything then nothing all at once. But, nothing came except for the return of the ringing in his ears, feeding the pain in his head from earlier.

As Gavin lowered his hand that was holding the gun, using his other hand to tug at strands of hair to hide his red LED that was blinking dangerously fast, Nines collected what sense he could gather, dragging his eyes off of the android just long enough so that he could look over his shoulder at where the bullet had brushed right past his head. 

Oh. _Oh._

Whitman's lifeless body was lying on the ground just outside of his home, a pistol beside one of his hands, blood mixed with vomit staining his mouth & the front of his shirt. The bastard had actually survived long enough to grab his own firearm & all but drag himself out of the basement so he could attempt one last time to kill Nines. He would have been successful too, if it had not been for Gavin.

Yet again, Gavin was saving Nines from tasting lead. Maybe guardian angels really did exist.

"He was going to- I- Shit." GV200's sentence was jumbled as the confidence from earlier got lost somewhere amongst the brutal honesty of his words that Nines was just now realising where being directed towards Whitman, not him. Gavin had finally got to stand up to the abuse & get to do the one thing he had likely been dreaming of doing from the first moment Whitman had laid a hand on him. 

"I guess this means I owe you twice now, huh, Robocop?" There was a chuckle that just barely sat on the edge of Nines' tongue but the pain in his ribs was too severe for him to dare laugh, hugging himself tighter, murmuring softly, "we need to call this in. I have a cover story, I should probably phone Connor-"

"You don't owe me anything, Detective, just like you said I don't owe you anything, remember?" GV200 was at Nines' side in an instant as the detective swayed slightly from the blood loss. The android wrapped his arm firmly around Nines' middle to stabilise him as he walked them both to Nines' car, helping the detective into the passenger side before sitting himself in the drivers seat. "There's no way I'm allowing you to drive, I'll drive us to the hospital."

Nines silently nodded, too weak to bother arguing before pulling out his phone to call Connor, muttering 'pick up, pick up, pick up' under his breath. Thankfully, Connor may have been stubborn but he had a bigger heart than Nines ever could & would always pick up the phone, no matter how angry. He picked up after the fourth ring.

 _"What?"_ Was the only bitter response that came from the other end of the line. Not even a hello, not like he deserved one at all. Hell, he didn't even deserve for Connor to pick up at all but he was grateful that he did.

"C-Con? Hey, uh, I don't have time to explain, but I need your help. I know, I don't deserve it, but please, big brother-" Nines' voice was beginning to grow raspy as he slumped in his seat. They couldn't leave the scene until Connor showed up to handle the body. Bleeding out or not, he needed to be sure nobody else got to Whitman's body first, especially if he wanted his dishonesty to stay under the radar.

The bitterness left Connor's tone as soon as he heard Nines speak, being immediately replaced with concern. "You know it isn't fair to pull the 'big brother' card on me, but you do only use it when it's urgent. Hey, uh, Rich? Are you okay? You sou-"

Cutting his brother off before he had the chance to properly voice his worries, Nines let out a shaky breath before mumbling down the phone. 

"Listen, Con, Whitman tried to hurt Tina. I don't know what he was going to do to her but we both know what he's capable of. She said he hit her on the head & she passed out, when she woke up, she was in his basement, she phoned me before the line went d-dead, I rushed to his house to help, I know I have no gun or badge but I had to help her, he was going to, I don't know, but we got in a bit of a fight & when I was helping Tina out of the house, he drew his gun on her, so I grabbed her gun, Con, I-"

"Dammit, Richard! You could have gotten yourself killed! Me & Lieutenant Anderson are on our way, do you need an ambulance?" It was apparent that Connor was far too anxious over the idea of his brother being injured than to actually question the integrity of what Nines had just said.

Using familial ties as a way to get away with covering up the fact Gavin had just killed to save his life was selfish & was most definitely going to bite him in the ass when he least expects it but if it bought him more time with Gavin, he'd do it again without question.

"I'll drive Tina to the hospital, you can take her statement there. You can take mine, I don't care what happens but it was self defense. If I didn't shoot, he would have. Oh, and Con?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, thanks." It wasn't exactly an 'I'm sorry for being a stone cold prick & attempting to sabotage our relationship because I don't know how to handle my emotions without getting hostile & defensive' but it would have to suffice until he wasn't bleeding out all over his freshly washed car. But, before Connor could mention to oddness of his brother's behaviour, Nines hung up the phone, allowing his eyes to fall shut, Tina murmuring incoherently from the backseat as she began to wake up.

As soon as GV200 saw Anderson's car pull onto the scene, he began to speed down the road towards the hospital before anybody could question them & Nines' lies. The detective had not only lied to his own brother, he had lied to the whole precinct in the process considering it was an officer that had been killed. Nonetheless, he knew what he was doing. He finally got ~~his~~ Gavin back, he wasn't about to let anybody take him away. So, he would take the blame.

It wasn't like they could ask Whitman to see if the story he was selling was true. It wasn't all a complete lie either. Tina really was hurt. He really could have been killed, it was just who pulled the trigger & why they were there in the first place that he chose to twist.

He was selfish, he always had been so he knew that Connor, even when finding out the truth, which he inevitably would, he too, would keep it to himself because his loyalty to Nines was unmatched.

The car journey was silent as Gavin surpassed the speed limit to get Tina & Nines to the hospital as quickly as he could, every so often throwing a glance to Nines to be sure the detective was still conscious. Thankfully, he was, he was simply resting his head on the cold window, eyes dazed as the city lights passed them by.

It was strange for Gavin to have them be in one another's shoes. It was always Nines running into an injured Gavin, not the other way around. The android chuckled sadly to himself as he thought about how they really did need to stop meeting under such blood riddled circumstances. Maybe one day they'd be able to meet without blood being spilled. Maybe.

As soon as Gavin pulled up to the hospital, Nines cleared his throat with a wince before murmuring in a voice that was barely audible, "t-take Tina in, tell them the cover story & be sure Tina remembers it too, they can't see my wound or else people will question how I was shot too, I can patch myself up at home. I-It's not like I haven't done that before." The detective nodded, about to unbuckle his seatbelt that Gavin must have put on him to begin with, not that he remembered that but the android shook his head, gently placing a hand on Nines' to stop his actions.

"Wait here & stay awake, you hear me, Detective? I'll be out in five minutes & I'll drive you home & stitch you up. Just, please stay awake. I'll be right back."

The pounding in Nines' head had subsided by the time he fluttered his eyes open, having to press his palms into his eyes to rub at them before the blurriness of his vision ebbed away & he could glance around to gain his bearings. There was the soft sound of a slightly off key piano melody filling his ears & he found himself lying on his couch, the smell of chemicals mildly burning his nostrils. If it didn't feel as though there was a fire being ignited beneath the skin along his ribs & face, Nines, for a moment, may have believed he was in some form of heaven. Not that he had ever believed in such nonsense. 

His mouth was rather dry so when he parted his lips to call out, the words never quite made it out. It didn't help that his mind was still working at a snails pace, likely from the concussion of having his head smacked against the concrete floor repeatedly. Fuck, his head was going to hurt for a week, he was sure. He knew he should have stayed awake, but with all of his accumulated injuries, it was too difficult. How did he- Did Gavin carry him to the couch? Was an of that re-

His thoughts were completely cut off as he blinked a few times, the soft yellow & red glow catching his attention from the far side of his living room. That explained the soft piano melody he could hear. GV200 was sitting at the free standing, Rosewood piano Nines had in the far side of his living room, Gizmo lazily lying across Gavin's shoulders as he delicately played a tune that Nines wasn't entirely sure he had heard before. The notes were a little clumsy, fingers tripping over one another as he tried to hit every key. Nonetheless, Nines thought it was beautiful.

The detective shifted on the couch as he attempted to sit himself up before sucking in a sharp breath followed by a wince at the pain flaring up his side. Now there was no adrenaline pumping through his system, the pain searing through his body was making it even more difficult to focus on anything at all. He gave up trying to sit himself up properly, instead propping himself up on his elbows as he tried to keep his breathing from being too shallow.

Gavin must have heard the change in Nines' breath & stopped playing abruptly. Turning to look at Nines, his LED blinked yellow twice, cycling for a moment before returning to that usual crimson red. In his current state, Nines couldn't be certain if it really did change to yellow simply at the sight of him or not, there was a chance he was still delirious but he liked to think it was true.

"I thought I told you to stay awake, Detective." Gavin smiled very faintly as he spoke, showing he was only half serious about his words as he made his way to the couch, prying Gizmo from his shoulders & placing the small kitten on the floor before choosing to kneel down beside the couch, fiddling with his fingers in an almost nervous manner. It was so human like.

Seeing Gavin with his furry friend had a warmth filling Nines' chest. Finally, Gizmo got to have his favourite companion back. Maybe the little kitten wouldn't spend all day sleeping on Gavin's jacket anymore.

Nines found himself staring at the android for a long moment before glancing down to his shirtless body to see his ribs had been meticulously bandaged. Well, that explained the smell of chemicals. While he was passed out, Gavin must have cleaned & stitched his wounds. Despite the fact his brain seemed to be working at a pace slower than a computer from the 90's, he was grateful that he wasn't awake while Gavin played nurse. Even the split in his lip was feeling a little cleaner too as he poked his tongue against it. No dried blood. Gavin really did cater to all of his wounds, even the smaller ones that littered his face.

There was an unspoken tension in the air between them, even in his concussed state, Nines could feel it. It was something he couldn't quite place his finger on but he decided he would dwell on it later. For now, instead, he'd simply appreciate finally having Gavin back in his life.

"You smell like a new car." Was the first sentence Nines managed to rasp out, his words falling over one another & it coming out something more along the lines of "yersmell, uh, yersmell like a new car." As soon as the words fell out of his mouth, he felt like an idiot, the blood rushing to his cheeks in embarrassment. His brain was not cooperating with him & all he wanted to do was stare at the sight before him & never close his eyes again. But of course, he had to open his mouth.

But, Gavin seemed to understand & nodded with a sad laugh escaping his lips before his response came. "I suppose I do. I guess being in a repairs unit for a week would do that to you. They are very clean after all."

Nines nodded faintly in response, swallowing in the hopes it would dampen his throat so his voice wouldn't be so raspy when he tried to speak up again. As he shifted to properly sit himself up a little better this time with yet another hiss of pain, making space for Gavin to sit on the couch too, his intrusive thoughts crashed into him like an angry wave on a calm shoreline & before he had the chance to wrangle in his words, they were already sitting heavily in the air between them, just like that mysterious tension.

"How do I know you're really you? You could be a different GV200, are you even GV200? You-You might be GV300 or something!" They sounded more ridiculous said aloud but he had to know for sure that this simply wasn't some form of machine impostor sent to replace the Gavin he had fallen in love with. What if Cyberlife had found out he was a deviant, what if they had traced the drugs in his systems when his body was being examined for repairs & they chose to replace GV200 with a new one. One that had _stolen_ the memories of the original GV200, just without the true emotions that he once had.

The android's LED was cycling red a little faster as he situated himself on the couch in the space that Nines had left for him, his eyes swimming with clear worry as he gnawed at his lip. Yet another trait that was so similar to that of an anxious human. "Would that really matter, Detective? Would that change anything?"

"That doesn't answer my question, dammit! How do I know you're really you? You might not be _my_ Gavin! How do I know?!" Nines' tone was panicked, but in his mind, he had every right to have his paranoia shining through.

He had already lost Gavin once & had to deal with the nightmares that followed. If this wasn't really the Gavin he knew, he wanted to know now so at least he could prepare himself. He didn't want a different one. He wanted his Gavin, scars & troubles & all. The detective's words were still tripping over one another but somehow, his panic seemed to help his mind to clear & think faster than he had been just a few moments prior. Brains sure were complicated.

Despite the decibels in which Nines spoke being raised, Gavin didn't even flinch, nor did he break eye contact with the detective. Instead, he simply shifted closer to the overly worried human, hesitating for a moment before reaching for Nines' hand. When there was no resistance, he picked up the human's hand & pressed the flat of his palm against his sternum with just enough pressure so that Nines could feel the steady thrum of Gavin's thirium regulator spinning. Fuck, he had missed that feeling.

"You once asked me if I was apologising for the beating of my heart. And, I was sorry. But, now I'm not. Is it not enough for you to just be grateful that I'm here now?" The way Gavin's voice crackled with static showed the detective just how afraid he really was. He was just as afraid as Nines was. Not only afraid but desperate. Desperate that Nines wouldn't throw him out for using his words. Desperate for Nines to not think differently of him. Desperate for Nines to believe it was still him.

"I'm real & I-I'm Gavin. Emotions intact with my stupid LED to match. I'm still me, Nines. Please-"

As tears prickled at the corners of Nines' eyes, he nodded in response despite that familiar tension lingering around the room, the air becoming heavy enough to suffocate him.

"You remember that, huh?" Nines sniffled quietly, wiping at his eyes on the back of his hand before shifting so he was properly facing the android, eyes studying his face for a moment with one hand still sitting over his thirium pump, the soft whirring of it against his hand being enough to help relax the tension that was sitting in his muscles. Gavin's LED was still red. He still had the blue scar running along the bridge of his nose. He was still Gavin.

Wordlessly, Nines slowly leaned in close until their foreheads were touching, storms of grey meeting unsuspecting lush green forests; Nines simply stared into those beautifully vibrant eyes that he adored so dearly, staying silent for a long while before finally whispering out, "you're still you." Then, as gently as he could, the detective reached his free hand up, resting it on the back of Gavin's head, his fingers getting lost in the soft brown locks of the android's hair.

"This body, it doesn't have the same dents that my old one once did, but they still exist on my skin. I still have my scars, Nines. And, I hope I still have you too-" The android fidgeted in the pocket of the jacket he was wearing before pulling his hand out, taking Nines' hand in his own, palm up, dropping something small & cold into Nines' open palm. Gavin's voice was soft now, the static having phased out along with the tension that had been sitting between them. "-But, I won't apologise for taking that bullet for you. I'd do it again in a regulator beat."

Drawing in a slow, deep breath with a smile tugging at the left side of Nines' lips at Gavin's way of phrasing 'in a heartbeat', the detective looked down into his open palm to see what Gavin had placed in it.

A bullet.

It was crumpled at the front from the impact it had hit into Gavin's regulator but it was still clear that it was the same bullet. Why he had kept it, Nines was unsure, maybe for this exact reason. His mind was running a mile a minute for a long while as he stared down at the bullet before finally closing his hand around it, looking up at Gavin with a few tears escaping his eyes. He didn't bother trying to stop them this time.

"Why- You- I-" Nines laughed softly at his inability to form a coherent sentence, drawing in a few deep breaths before attempting once more. "Of course you still have me, darling. You could never lose me & if I recall correctly, I was the one who lost you, remember? It was my fault this happened to you-" Nines attempted to smile, but the split in his lip had it sitting lopsided on his face, something that he would simply just have to accept was now permanent. In a way, he sort of liked the way it felt to have such a clear imperfection on his face that wouldn't heal so easily like the other bruises.

A few scars on the outside were no match for the amount of scars he had on the inside, but, he supposed he matched Gavin a little better in that regard.

Another silence fell between the pair as one of Gavin's hands found its way on top of Nines' that was clutching the bullet in a closed fist, his other hand gently coming up to cup Nines' cheek with an anxious yet sad smile toying at the corners of his lips, his brows furrowing ever so slightly as if there was something that he wanted to say but couldn't quite find the right words. As if he knew something that Nines hadn't yet pieced together. 

"I just, I couldn't forget you Nines. Just the thought of having a blank slate terrified me. I didn't want to forget the one good thing I had in my life, and in my death. If you can even call it that." Gavin's words were cryptic & his voice was quiet, as if he were ashamed. Nines tilted his head into Gavin's hand that was on his cheek, a soft content sigh escaping his lips at the warmth Gavin emitted. Part of him wondered if androids simply matched their body temperature to that of a humans to better filter in with society or whether Gavin was just naturally warm. 

"What do you mean? What happened while you were gone, Gavin?" Nines could feel his anxieties creeping back up as he dropped his eyes to study the scar that sat on Gavin's nose. The android didn't seem to mind the eyes that were scrutinizing his imperfections, he simply sat silent for a long while as his eyes studied Nines' features in return. It was as if he was contemplating whether or not he should say whatever it was that was swimming around that super computer brain of his.

Finally, he spoke up, & in return, Nines broke down.

"Being in a repairs unit is rather strange. There are many wires & technicians inside my head & their hands on my body. It was almost suffocating, I think. I wouldn't know what that feels like as I do not possess the capability to be asphyxiated. But, when I was awake, it wasn't like I could say a thing without raising suspicion, but, I didn't like feeling their hands on me. Even if they were fixing me. I didn't know at the time why I didn't like it, I just knew I didn't." Gavin pulled his hand from Nines' cheek so he could take up gently fiddling with the fingers on Nines' hand that wasn't holding the bullet, diverting his eyes to watch their hands instead.

"I have many coded emotions, being a prototype & all, they kind of just tested everything on me. With that being said, my deviation code must have been lost in amongst those, so that wasn't an issue, something that I had bee so afraid of for so long. Something that was used as a threat against me for so long & as it turned out, they didn't even notice I was a deviant. Or maybe they were just being lazy because I'm not a shiny new toy so they cared less, I don't know. But, I hated it when I came out of my shutdown for the first time. I felt empty. Like there was nothing in here." He used one hand to tap over his thirium pump before returning to playing with Nines' fingers as he continued.

"I couldn't explain it, but, I woke up with nothing. I didn't feel anything." Gavin's eyes flickered to Nines' for a moment & the frightened look was so easily evident in them, Nines was sure that even if his vision was still bleary, he'd be able to see it. But, before he could ask, Gavin carried on explaining.

"But, that's when Connor showed up. I don't know how he got into the unit, I think he may have used his badge as an excuse. The only reason I am alive now is because of your brother, Nines. But, he came to me & told me of all the distressing things I had been through before my shutdown. He spoke of you, too. He told me about us, about how we were going to fix one another. I didn't know what it meant but all I knew was that, whatever I felt before, well, it had to be better than feeling nothing at all. So, despite what Connor told me had happened to me at the hands of Whitman, I asked for all of my memories back. Because, in amongst those memories & that pain, there was you. There was us."

With a trembling hand, Nines reached up to cup Gavin's jaw, delicately tilting the android's head so he was looking at him once again. The detective had to blink through the tears so Gavin wasn't blurry, said tears falling down his cheeks in the process, leaving little tracks down his face. He found himself being at a loss for words yet again, something that was becoming a common theme when he was around Gavin. All he could think about was how selfish it was of him to presume that this Gavin wasn't the Gavin he had fallen in love with. As if having a different body & a new regulator somehow meant it wasn't his Gavin. As if that somehow mattered in the grand scheme of it all.

He was so fast to doubt Gavin when the android literally had the opportunity to start completely afresh, to forget ever having been mistreated, blackmailed & put under such duress. He could have been completely oblivious to his past. He could have started again. But instead, even though he had been warned of what his memories entailed, he still chose to have them back so he wouldn't lose Nines in the process.

Not to mention the fact that despite all of the cruelty Nines had spat in Connor's direction as of late, his brother had still found a way to bring the light back into Nines' life; even when he least deserved it. The detective made a mental note to himself to rebuild the bridge that he had so carelessly burned down with his brother, to truly thank Connor for having such a pure heart & for always being the reminder that Nines needed to know that he too, could be better. 

"Gavin, I- Why would you do that? You could have forgotten about him. You could have been free-" Not exactly the words he wanted to say but they were the only ones that found their way out of his mouth. Moving the hand that was on Gavin's jaw to instead cup his cheek, he fiddled with the bullet in his other hand, the cold metal against his fingers, despite being so small, weighed so much with the realisation of what Gavin had chosen to do.

Tears continued to slip freely down Nines' cheeks as a sad smile graced his lips. Fuck, he so badly wanted to show him that he wouldn't allow anybody to hurt him ever again. To show him the love he so rightfully deserved. To show compassion. Kindness. Tenderness.

"We were going to fix each other." Gavin repeated. The answer was simple but Nines held those words close to his heart & wouldn't be letting go of them anytime soon. Gavin was the light at the end of a very dark tunnel & in return, Nines was the same of him, somehow. He was going to replace every sour memory Gavin ever had with ones filled with nothing but pure devotion & softness.

When he opened his mouth to respond, he found himself, yet again, unable to find the right words, so instead, he simply let out a pathetically weak laugh as Gavin gently wiped away the tears that were falling down Nines' cheeks before leaning in, hesitating for a moment before pressing his lips to Nines', kissing him softly & even being so thoughtful as to kiss the detective slightly more towards the left side of his mouth to avoid the split in his lip.

Nines couldn't help the smile that was tugging at the the corners of his mouth as he fluttered his eyes closed, his thumb gently tracing along Gavin's cheekbone as he kissed back tenderly, allowing the android to keep full control of the pace as to not spook him.

Gavin swiped his tongue against Nines' lower lip in an almost shy manner as he shifted so he was sitting n Nines' lap, legs wrapping around Nines' hips with ease. As he parted his lips, the detective awkwardly slipped the bullet into his jean's pocket momentarily so he could use that hand to gently rest on Gavin's side, the other staying situated on his cheek as the kiss deepened, Gavin's tongue gingerly exploring the inside of Nines' mouth.

Nines had never contemplated the thought of an android's tongue feeling any different to a human one considering he simply did not care. But, now he was kissing Gavin properly, he couldn't help but take note on how different it was in all the right ways. Gavin was less sloppy than a human would be, there was less saliva to make a mess, his tongue wasn't forceful or messy. Everything about him was utterly perfect & as Gavin pulled back so he could allow his human to take a breather, Nines felt his heart stutter on a beat as that soft blue painted Gavin's cheeks. Something that he wasn't sure he was ever going to see again.

"God, you are so stunning, did you know that?" Nines breathed out with a half smile, that half smile morphing into a small, lopsided grin as Gavin's LED blinked in response, lighting up the dimly lit room with a warm yellow hue. Nines reached up & used his thumb to gently brush over the small disc on Gavin's temple, his smile never wavering even as it returned to its usual red. He wasn't sure if he would ever see it blue, but then again, after all of the nightmares he had suffered through, he wasn't entirely sure if he ever wanted to see the colour blue again.

But, he would settle for yellow, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. 

After breathing in deeply as if to prepare himself, Nines wrapped his arms carefully around Gavin to hold him securely against his chest as he slowly stood up, Gavin's legs tightening around his hips in the process to help hold himself up. Just the fact that Gavin was so fast to cling to Nines in itself was a show of trust. Trust that Nines was never going to take advantage of.

The detective swallowed back the groan of pain, attempting to keep his face stoic as to not show that the maneuver was causing the pain along his ribs to flare up & made his way over to the piano, sitting on the chair with Gavin comfortably on his lap.

"I heard you playing earlier." Nines stated simply as he pulled the chair closer to the piano so he could reach the keys around Gavin's frame.

"I haven't played before & I don't have the software to simply download the skills to be a pianist like a new model can. But, I'm a fast learner, which might be considered cheating. I'm sorry, I-" 

"Don't apologise for doing nothing wrong, darling. I enjoyed listening to you play. Maybe you would allow me to teach you instead." Nines smiled faintly as Gavin nodded eagerly in response. The android shifted so he was sideways in Nines' lap instead so he could get a better view of the keys as Nines began to play a soft, calm melody that Gavin registered as Sugarcane by Ana Olgica. 

GV200's scans showed Nines' heart rate to be sitting at a comfortable, calm pace along with his stress levels almost diminishing despite spiking repeatedly throughout the evening, even while he was unconscious. He could tell that the detective was still in pain & not all of it was physical but as his nimble fingers flawlessly played the melody, the calmer his whole body became. The more he played, the more the sour memories that lingered in the back of Gavin's mind seemed to fade out, being drowned out by the soft sound of Nines' hands gliding across the keys, creating such beauty with such ease.

Gavin found himself entranced as he watched Nines' hands glide across the keys, the fluidity of the motion making it seem as though playing was as simple as breathing to him.

As he watched, his LED cycled between red & yellow, casting soft hues that flickered & almost merged into a gentle orange. It may never be blue, but Nines could feel the pain he had once felt in his chest after Gavin took that bullet slowly ebb away, being replaced by a warm, fluttering feeling instead.

Simple moments of calm in a world so full of violence were moments that both men were learning to cherish, unsure on whether they would get another moment of peace.

But, they were going to fix each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've stuck around this long: holy crap, thank you.   
> Almost at the end of this little story, one chapter left, my friends. Endings will always be bittersweet to me but I appreciate the love I've received on this story thus far.   
> Just, don’t get your hopes up for a completely happy ending. The story is called Bloodstains after all.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can't run from your past forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my lovelies! We have made it to the end of this lil story! If you have read this far, then from the bottom of my icy heart, thank you. Before we get into it, there are some things I'd like to say real quick!  
> First of all, there is a background torture scene to an RK brother. NO, it isn't Connor or Nines. I know that's a little spoilery but if you don't want to read about a character death *character has not been mentioned before* then skip the chunk that is in italics. (Nines' flashback)  
> Next, in the words of Lemony Snicket, "if you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other books. In this book, not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning & very few happy things in the middle"  
> With wanting to stick with the same themes of loss of freedom/control that the rest of this fic has had, I am aware I am leaving myself very open to criticism with this ending but all I ask is that, even if you hate it, please be kind as I am a baby. I'm okay with criticism but,, nicely, heh. With that in mind, I would love to hear your opinions.  
> What I will say though is that I do have a sequel in mind so if that puts your mind at ease with the ending then, pls think about that.  
> One more thing, thank you Brittney & Vanessa, I genuinely could not have completed this without you two. I love you both so dearly & cannot fathom the correct words to thank you for all of your help.  
> Uh, happy reading? <3

_**November 8th 2038** _

As flurries of snow clung to the windows, collecting into little piles along the windowsill, the strong, whistling winds of the chilly November air carried the weight of a storm that was brewing. A storm that simply couldn't be avoided by hiding away in the confines of the warmth of Nines' apartment. An apartment that was beginning to feel like home when Gavin was there.

A week had passed since the death of Whitman & despite what felt like an endless stream of reports that both Nines & Tina had to fill out regarding the death of the officer, everything had been running smoothly.

The second day after Whitman's death, Nines had got his gun & badge back, in spite of having to sit in Fowler's office for an hour straight, listening to his superior drone on about policies & potentials as to what would happen if Nines had in any way lied on the reports & files that revolved around the death of the officer.

The detective had a small feeling that the Captain knew better & knew he was hiding something, but with Connor in the dark about what really happened & neither he or Tina faltering in their web of lies to keep Gavin as far away fro the situation as possible: the Captain seemed to let it go. For now.

Now more than ever, Nines wanted to keep Gavin out of the spotlight as much as he could. There had been an rise in deviancy cases due to androids getting their hands on the drug that was circulating through Detroit. There was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere regarding androids now. Something was coming. Everybody could feel it.

But, Nines kept his face stoic & voice calm, repeating the same lines of twisted truth & lies that Tina had been repeating too, their cover story was solid & Gavin was safe. That's all that mattered.

With Whitman out of the picture, Tina was finally able to return to working in narcotics. She became the head officer of a very important task force, got to boss everybody around as she saw fit & was making sure that everybody was working their asses off to keep Red Ice & Cobalt off the streets of Detroit. She was a natural born leader & nobody in the unit dared cross her.

Gavin, on the other hand, had voiced his love for busting dealers & after a long conversation in the middle of one of their first few nights together - after Nines had woken from another nightmare, Gavin had decided that seeing as he had, albeit against his will, helped aid in the creation of Cobalt - the tainted thirium that if it did not kill the android, caused some form of flaw in their coding, melting away at whatever restraints tied them down into obeying orders - he decided that he wanted to continue working in narcotics, now it was safe, alongside Tina.

Alongside the non-corrupt cops that Chen had put in place, GV200 & Tina were working around the clock to try & stop Detroit's biggest drug problem yet. Gavin wanted to be sure that no other android would get their hands on the drug, no matter how long it took. Although, with each passing day, it was growing more apparent that such a task was becoming increasingly difficult.

It was almost bittersweet, in its own way.

Although Nines was mildly disappointed that Gavin wouldn't be his partner, he could tell that the android was genuinely happy with his work now that he was able to get actual work done, wear his uniform & set his own pace without the constant worry of being used & hurt lingering over his shoulder. He was going to be okay. Besides, not only could the pair spend Nines' lunch break together, ignoring the strange looks they received from other detectives; at the end of each shift, Nines would meet Gavin at the android docking stations & they would head back to Nines' apartment where Gavin would spend the night & they would head to work together the next morning.

Despite there being a soft, underlying tension between the two, things had been going well, if not a little too well at both work & at home. Gavin would borrow some of Nines' old clothes to wear as pyjama's & each night, they would lay on Nines' bed together to talk about how their days had been until early hours of the morning. Then, Nines would fall to sleep for a few hours & Gavin would go into stasis beside him.

Nines was right to trust the unsure nervousness that had settled into his bones when he felt as though things were simply _too_ okay.

The buzzing of the detective's phone from his nightstand proved his strange gut feeling, jolting him awake from the nightmare he had been suffering from.

Immediately sitting himself up as his chest heaved, sucking in as much air as his lungs would allow, the detective wiped away at the dampness around his eyes from the rather unpleasant nightmare before blinking away the remnants of sleep that was causing his eyes to sit heavy on his face. Nines furrowed his brows at his phone as he gulped down the lump that was forming in his throat.

[Unknown contact Nov 8 9:00 P.M]

_'You are a hard man to track down, Sgt. We need to talk. ~A'_

The detective found himself staring at the words for a few passing moments but before he had the chance to react outside of the nerves that had taken up swimming around his stomach, another text lit up the screen with a video file attached.

[Unknown contact Nov 08 09:04 A.M]

_'I'd think very carefully of your response, Nines. How would your colleagues respond to knowing the truth about Whitman? ~A'_

"Nines? Your stress leve-" The soft voice in which he was regarded with belonged to Gavin, who had taken up going into stasis in Nines' bed beside the detective ever since their first night together after they had sat at Nines' piano. Nines had originally slept on the couch so he could respect Gavin's privacy & let the android have his bed. But, Gavin had been awoken from his stasis to the unsettling sounds in which Nines would wake from a nightmare. He would whimper, groan or even shout & cry in his sleep until he jolted awake from the horrors of his past that plagued his slumber.

For the first few hours of that restless night, Nines had persuaded Gavin to just go back into stasis & that he would be fine. But, his past refused to let up haunting his mind as he attempted to sleep once more, which led to Gavin very stubbornly requesting for Nines to return to his bed so he could sleep beside him. At least then, when he woke up in a panic, he had somebody there to comfort & reassure him. Something that Nines had never had before. But, then again, neither had Gavin. He was just better at suppressing the tragic memories than a human was.

Gavin's quiet, and if Nines was not mistaken, groggy voice sliced through the tension that was radiating from the Detective to which he quickly shut off his phone screen without clicking play on the video before cutting off Gavin's sentence without giving the android the chance to finish.

"I'm okay. Just woke up from a nightmare, is all." Nines murmured quietly, the sleepiness having not quite yet left his voice. It wasn't a complete lie, he had been suffering from some rather unsavoury dreams but oh how easy it was for his nightmares to seep into reality.

It was only as a pair of arms gently snaked around Nines' middle, soft lips pressing to the back of his neck did the detective slowly begin to relax, melting back into the soft embrace that was GV200.

Whoever felt the need to blackmail him could wait. He wanted to selfishly soak in as much as Gavin's touch as possible before it was too late & it was taken away from him. 

Nines let out a quiet sigh as he slipped his phone beneath his pillow, as if somehow the quote, 'out of sight, out of mind', worked in the slightest. The detective gently ran his hands along Gavin's arms that were secured around his middle, earning a soft hum of approval at the gentle touch from the android.

Gavin continued to gently kiss at Nines' neck in response, nuzzling his nose against the soft tufts of hair at the nape of Nines' neck as he whispered, "if you need to talk about it, you know I'm here, right? Just as so you don't shut me out."

The android's voice was just as gentle as his kisses & he knew what he was doing as he spoke so softly. He was using the same manipulative tactics that had been used against him time & time again but if there was one thing he had learnt, it was that they worked. Buttering somebody up, being soft & kind really did get them to open their mouths.

Nines got answers from people by being violent & hostile. Gavin, on the other hand, would be kind & gentle until Nines got comfortable enough to open up. They were two sides of the same fucking coin; whether anybody realised it or not.

In the week that the pair had spent together thus far, Gavin had learnt now more than ever that Nines was very bad at opening up about quite literally anything that involved his personal life, especially if it had something to do with his past - unless he knew it would somehow help him gain an advantage in a situation. Gavin had taken notes that each time Nines had opened up, it usually ended up leading them right into a conversation that was more about Gavin than it was Nines.

Nines, on the other hand, had learnt that Gavin could be very affectionate & soft, despite looking so rough & having been through so much. But, he was often more affectionate when he wanted Nines to be a little more forthcoming with his words.

Nines stayed quiet however, gazing down to where he was tracing little invisible shapes along Gavin's arms, eyebrow cocking curiously as the skin began to slowly recede away along each space in which his fingers came into contact with.

He simply watched for a moment longer before whispering, "does that feel nice by any chance?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the android immediately yanked his arms away in a defensive manner, mumbling out soft apologies in the process which caused Nines' curious look to morph into a soft frown.

The detective rolled over, tilting his head as he gently reached a hand out to run his fingers through the nervous android's hair, eyes momentarily flicking to his LED as it flashed yellow for barely a split second before returning to its default, anxious red.

"Gavin-" Nines lowered his voice as he leaned in closer, placing a gentle kiss to Gavin's nose before continuing, "you're allowed to enjoy things & you don't have to feel guilty for it either. If you feel good, that's what's important. You're perfect, Gavin, don't hide that." The left side of Nines' mouth tugged up into a small, lopsided smile - due to the split in his lip that refused to heal. He traced his fingers along the android's cheekbone before gently cupping his jaw, kissing at his nose scar yet again so he could admire the way in which it crinkled up in the process.

"Just, be yourself. There's no judgement in this apartment but you knew that already." Nines spoke with a confidence that was clear in his voice that showed just how genuine he was. "May I?" Nines went to lean in to kiss at Gavin's jawline but paused to ask first, waiting for the nod of consent from Gavin before continuing his quest to make Gavin feel good.

The human slowly littered wet, open mouthed kisses along Gavin's jaw, it took a moment & a few cycles of an anxious red LED before the android tilted his head back into the pillows, the nanites that made up his skin slowly beginning to recede around the sections of his neck that Nines' lips came into contact with, showing his white & blue chassis beneath. It was only visible momentarily before his skin concealed his framework but Nines still got to watch in awe. Planting little kisses along the android's skin then pulling back just enough to watch the nanites crawl along his chassis. It was utterly fascinating.

"Can you control it?" Nines murmured with curiosity in his voice as he slowly shifted so he was straddling Gavin's hips, but holding his own weight as to not have the android feeling as though he were trapped. The detective paused his kisses so he could look Gavin in the eye with a coy smirk. The android smiled shyly up at him as he shrugged, wrapping his arms around Nines' neck to pull him into a gentle kiss.

Nines propped his arms either side of Gavin's head as he allowed the android to stay in control of the pace of the kiss, only pulling back enough as he felt Gavin mumble against his lips, "I can control it, kinda. It just feels nicer without that barrier there, I guess. I'm sorry if that's weird." The android's cheeks flushed a soft blue as he tilted his head to the side in a poor attempt to hide his face against the pillows.

"Fuck, you are so beautiful, did you know that?" Nines whispered as he brushed Gavin's hair off of his forehead, using one hand to tilt Gavin's face back towards him so he could admire his features properly. He didn't miss the way in which Gavin rolled his eyes at the statement, shaking his head as he mumbled under his breath, "and you're full of shit. Did you know that?"

Both men were just as stubborn as one another, something that was becoming very clear with each passing day they got to spend together, even over the smallest of things like Gavin's refusal of compliments & incessant need to scan over the detective constantly to be sure that he was okay & healing properly. Nines was just as stubborn when it came to refusing to go to the hospital over his injuries. In knowing that arguing the matter would get them nowhere, Nines simply shook his head, kissing Gavin's LED before mumbling about breakfast as an excuse to leave & look back on the text messages, grabbing his phone from beneath his pillow before disappearing off into the kitchen.

It was Nines' first Friday off since the death of Whitman so getting to relax on a morning beside the only person he wanted to spend his time with; he was lying if he said he hadn't been fooling himself into thinking for once, he could have a moment of happiness without it completely falling apart around him.

Leaning back against the kitchen counter, Nines opened the messages from 'A', fingers hesitating for a moment before clicking play on the video, eyebrows furrowing as he focused on what was happening.

It was only a short clip, shot from an awkward angle at a slight distance with poor lighting but he could make out the figures clear as day, causing his blood to run cold within his veins. It was GV200. More specifically, it was the exact moment Gavin shot Whitman. Nines standing there, holding his ribs in agony as he stared down the barrel of the gun, the bullet just barely missing Nines' shoulder & killing Whitman instantly.

The video was clipped at just the right moment with the audio too muffled to hear what either man had to say. It simply looked as though Gavin had killed Whitman in cold blood & both Nines & Tina would be incriminated for lying to cover for Gavin if the DPD were to ever get a hold of such footage. Not to mention what would happen to Gavin, an android, for killing a human. No matter how just.

_Fuck._

"Fuck!" Nines muttered louder than necessary through grit teeth as he watched the video through a second time. There was no way anybody would be fooled into thinking it wasn't Gavin. Even somebody with poor eyesight could tell what was happening. He was being blackmailed, no doubt about it. One of his old superior's favourite methods of controlling her soldiers. Something he knew all too much about.

The detective rubbed at his ribs where his faded rope burns were that Gavin had once pointed out had blended into barely noticeable scars as his mind wandered back the last time his superior had blackmailed him into doing her dirty work even after he thought he had escaped, falling into a memory that he had tried so desperately to suppress.

_"Take the shot, Nines. Or have you forgotten your training?"_

_"But, ma'am, she has three children around her. She's a mo-" Cut off by his boss arguing back over the other end of their radio, the soldier glanced through the sights of the sniper he had set up on the rooftop of a relatively unsound building._

_A sandstorm had ripped through the city he had been made to travel to, having cleared just enough for him to have a perfect view of his his target without being seen for himself thanks to the excess sand fogging up the air. Not that he was ever seen by whoever his superiors deemed to be the enemy. If they did spot him? They wouldn't live long enough to react._

_"Nines! Take the shot. Do you insist on finding out once more what happens when you disobey a direct order? I will not ask again." The voice of the higher ranking officer on the other line of their communications lacked any form of emotion except for the disdain in which she spat out his name, as if it left a foul taste in her mouth._

_Despite having many retorts he wished he could respond with, instead, the soldier made the wise choice & allowed the radio to sit in static as he drew in a deep breath to help steady his aim. The deep breath causing white hot pain to ripple through his rib cage & lungs from being tied down a few hours prior.  
_  
_He had been awoken as dawn broke by two of his superior's enforcers dragging him into his boss’ office, which was essentially an over-sized military tent all for herself. The men all but shoved him into the chair, wrapping rope around his torso as to tightly secure him to the chair, as if somehow that were necessary. He already did everything they told him to do, restraints were not necessary; not anymore._  
  
_“What’s the meaning of this?!” Nines spat as he looked down at the ropes that were pulled so taught, it was painful to breathe in anything deeper than short, shallow breaths._  
  
_Nines gulped as his superior stepped towards him, her heeled shoes clicking against the floor far too obnoxiously for his liking. He was two seconds away from spitting out a snarky remark but the words got lost in his throat as he heard a cry of pain coming from the tent next to the one he was being held in._  
  
_He stared up at the woman calling the shots with his brows furrowed tightly together. Whoever the fuck was in the other room, his boss wanted him to be able to hear their suffering._  
  
_His superior simply smirked as she studied his features in an almost curious manner, as if she knew something he didn't, before speaking with confident authority, “I do not tolerate my men refusing to follow orders. You know this, correct?”_  
  
_“Correct. I have not failed a mission, I don’t understa-“ Once more he was cut off by a scream of agony, a scream that sounded all too familiar. His thoughts were running a mile a minute as more pained groans filled the silence between them. As soon as everything fell into place, Nines' eyes widened, beginning to thrash against his restraints._  
  
_Unfortunately, he knew exactly who those screams of pain belonged to._  
  
_There hadn't been a single time where Nines had ever dared step up to his superiors, not when he knew first hand what they were capable of when somebody became a liability. But, Nines was nothing if not loyal to his own blood. "Let him go! Fucking let him go!"_  
  
_Once the begging started, he simply couldn't stop, tears welling in his eyes as he heard his brother groaning in pain, suffering through whatever horrors they were inflicting upon him. "Please! Hurt me instead, please. I'll take the fall for whatever he did. Please-"_  
  
_Nines continued to struggle against his bindings, even as they cut into the skin around his rib cage at just how hard he was struggling, sending burning sensations through his chest. But, the pain didn't matter, not when his little brother was next door being put through hell for not following one simple order. "Please! Fucking stop! Ple-"_  
  
_With an indignant sigh, his superior raised her hand to silence the solider. Having worked momentarily but as soon as the cries from the other room piped up once more, growing more hoarse with each passing second, Nines continued to plead her to stop, tears falling freely down his cheeks._  
  
_One of the men who had dragged him into the room used the butt of the assault rifle he was holding to smack Nines right in the nose, muttering out an impatient, infuriated 'shut up' beneath his breath._  
  
_With blood dripping down his face from his nose, seeping into his mouth, the soldier spat out the blood onto the floor, refusing to allow his groan of pain be heard by the woman standing before him, her face impassive, if not bored. The gun butt, however, did not stop the soldier from struggling, the ropes cutting further into his skin. No wonder they had tied him down. If they hadn't, there was no doubt in his mind that he would have killed everybody in this room & the next just to get to his brother._  
  
_The only thing that stopped his struggles however, was when his boss leaned in close enough for him to smell her rosy perfume, her hand finding its way into his hair to yank his head back so they made eye contact, speaking in a tone barely above a whisper but held enough anger to have even the strongest & bravest of men keeling at her feet. "You will finish the contract that your brother failed to do & you will bring back proof, you hear me? Consider this a reminder as to what will happen if you dare cross me as he did."_  
  
_As she adjusted her posture to stand back to her full height, hand disappearing from his hair, finding its way into her dress coat pocket, the woman began to slowly walk away. It was only as the stomach churning screams stopped did she pause for a moment, pulling her hand from her pocket & allowing a thin chain to dangle from her dainty finger momentarily before throwing it at Nines' feet without a single care as it landed in the blood that he had spat out a few moments prior._  
  
_The soldier slumped into his chair against the restraints, bowing his head in the process & looked down at the tags that sat in the blood at his feet. 'Solider Sixty Six' embossed into the metal._  
  
_Once his superior was escorted out with one of her men, the other enforcer untied the ropes that were pinning Nines in place. For a moment, Nines stayed slumped with his head bowed, staring down at the dog tags on the floor as blood & tears dripped down onto them. The silence was deafening. As sick as it was, at least the screams had meant his brother was alive._  
  
_As that thought had his stomach tugging into tight knots, the soldier reached down to swipe the dog tags before the enforcer could kick them aside, swiftly standing from where he was seated, ignoring the way the pain rippled through his ribs as he briskly made his way behind the burlier man before he had the chance to use the gun he was holding. Without second guessing himself, Nines wrapped the dog chain around both hands, flicking it around the man's neck & using all of the strength he had to pull as tightly as he could to strangle the enforcer as leaned in close, lips brushing against the man's ear as he whispered, "next time you want to use a gun on me, at least use it how it was intended."_  
  
_As the man dropped the weapon to take up clawing at the chain in the hopes he could get free of being choked to death, Nines simply pulled tighter & tighter until the chain was cutting into the man's flesh & he could hear the soldier begin to garble out nonsensical words that were likely pleas to have him stop. Nines simply muttered, "right, there won't be a next time."_  
  
_After what felt like an eternal struggle, the man's body finally fell limp against Nines' chest, to which the soldier simply took a step to the side, allowing the body to fall to the floor with a loud 'thud' before wiping the blood from Sixty's dog tags then placing them around his neck, his hands shaking & bleeding from where the chain had also cut into his flesh at the sheer force he had to use to strangle the soldier._  
  
_Picking up the assault rifle the soldier had dropped, Nines slowly dragged himself out of the tent & towards the one next door, ready to shoot anybody in his way. That was until he froze in place at the thought of Connor being left with two dead brothers. He wanted nothing more than to slaughter everybody who had dragged him back to this forsaken place after he had finally got out. He couldn't leave Connor to fend for himself. He may have been the eldest brother but it didn't make him the toughest. He needed Nines._  
  
_Nines had to follow orders, that was his job. Swallowing back his pride & pure anger, he threw the assault rifle on the ground, giving one last glance to the entrance of the tent in which Sixty's body was likely lying before walking away._  
  
_So, he found himself on that rooftop, a moment of silence passing before the sound of a sniper's shot echoed through the communication system._  
  
_"Good. Get back to base with proof of the kill. You know exactly what will happen if you missed that shot. Do not disappoint me, Nines. You are supposed to be more resilient than your youngest sibling. Do not think I won't hunt down your other brother if that's what it takes to keep you in place."_  
  
_"Do not talk to me about my family! You ki-"_  
  
_“Be a good little soldier & do your job properly & you won’t end up just as Sixty did.” That was all that his superior responded with - in a tone that lacked any consideration for the sensitivity of the topic before he heard the click of her radio shutting off._

  
Right as the radio fell silent, Nines flinched back into reality, the softest of whimpers escaping his lips at the sudden bombardment of such an awful memory, drawing in deep breaths as he tried to steady out his stress levels as he heard Gavin making his way through to the kitchen.  
  
"Nines? Are you okay-? I heard you swear-"Gavin's voice was quiet & Nines could tell that the android was scanning the kitchen in search of whatever had caught Nines off guard, his brows furrowing together as his scans came up short.  
  
"Uh, yeah, it's nothing. Just Gizmo being a jerk again. I'm fine, darling, thank you." Nines muttered quickly before turning around to focus on making himself a chilli seasoned omelette for breakfast, trying his best to push down the memories that were at the forefront of his mind, nibbling at the never healing split in his lip.  
  
As he made his breakfast, Gavin was completely silent, sitting himself at the breakfast bar. It was only as Nines grabbed a bottle of thirium, handing it to Gavin before sitting opposite the android to eat his breakfast did Gavin break his silence by murmuring two simple words. "You're lying."  
  
Pausing from where he was cutting into his breakfast, Nines gazed up to Gavin with furrowed brows, the nervous energy radiating from the android at his sudden confidence of standing up to the detective. "Hm?"  
  
"You heard me. You were lying, Nines. Gizmo was in there with me just now.. Something is bothering you again & you're hiding it from me." Gavin mumbled quietly as he slid his bottle of thirium across the breakfast bar from one hand to the other, LED cycling its usual nervous red.  
  
Usually, an assumption of such calibre would have Nines' defensive walls building up in an instant, but, he wasn't angry at the comment, even if it had caught him off guard. Quite frankly, Gavin had the right to know what the hell was going on, especially seeing it was his life on the line.  
  
"I mean, it isn't that you have to tell me what's going on, just, don't lie to me, Nines. I can take that shit from everybody else, but not from you. We've spent a while together now & I trust you, Meatbag. I'm trusting you to not fuck with that." Gavin took a sip from his thirium before screwing the cap back on, his voice quieter as he continued.  
  
"I know we haven't exactly talked about us, but, I don't know, I guess I just want to know you better. I mean, I know you're a Detective, you were in the military. You're healthy & you have a temper. You like things to be clean which is ironic seeing as you're always getting your hands dirty-"  
  
The last comment had a soft crease forming in his brow as he looked up from his breakfast once more to study Gavin's features. If he allowed himself to admit it, those words actually hurt. Like somebody had jabbed a tiny knife into his chest & twisted just enough to have his face crease up in dismay.  
  
He knew Gavin was against the way in which Nines got his confessions from criminals & he knew that Gavin likely had a rather vague idea on what Nines had been made to do by his superiors based off of the way he woke from his nightmares that he could never quite talk about, but the remark still left a subtle ache in his chest. But, he stayed quiet, giving Gavin the chance to finish while he was still confident enough to open up.  
  
"-You like really gross sounding foods & I know you don't particularly get on with Gizmo, even though you try to hide it-"

That remark made up for the gentle jibe Gavin had made previously as it gave Nines the opportunity to avoid the tension that was brewing between them for just a while longer with a subject change.  
  
"Hey! It isn't that we don't get along. He just keeps getting fur on my pillows & the asshole keeps tripping me up & hisses at me if I go by you- But, Gavin, you have to underst-"  
  
"Understand what? That you've killed people? I've killed too, Nines. That you're afraid? That you're too chicken shit to open up? That you have bad memories that you can't escape? How is that any different from me?" Gavin was looking up at Nines now, with a sadness apparent in his eyes, a sadness that Nines was hoping died along with Whitman. Apparently not. Knowing he was the cause of that sadness had his heart aching once again.  
  
So much for avoiding that tension that neither of them wanted to face head on.  
  
There was a gentle hint of frustration in Gavin's otherwise soft voice & in just the short span of the week they had spent together, rebuilding their lives, Nines had come to learn that Gavin greatly enjoyed the use of swearing when nobody was around to point out that it wasn't 'machine like'. The more confident he got, the more colourful his language became.

The brash, rough & tough android he was built to be was slowly beginning to show through now there was no looming danger of Whitman & he was finally in control & Nines thought it to be glorious, even if he had to handle the unpredictability that came along with the new found confidence.  
  
The android let out a soft, fabricated sigh as he awaited an answer.  
  
"The difference-" Nines sighed softly as he stood, abandoning his omelette so he could circle around the breakfast bar to stand at Gavin's side, gently cupping the android's cheeks as he murmured, "-the difference is you're free from your past, Gavin. You get to move forward."  
  
This time, it wasn't a lie. It wasn't particularly a very well worded truth either, but, it was honesty nonetheless. Still though, it was clear Gavin wasn't done with his confidence streak & continued to push.  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? What's got you so god damn worked up that you won't talk to me about it? Will you at least to talk to Con-"  
  
"No! Fuck, no. No, we can't get Connor involved. I can't have him anywhere near me, I don't want him getting hurt because of me. I don't think I could forgive myself if another broth- Nevermind. Look, Gavin, I promise I'll tell you everything. As soon as I know what the hell is going on, alright?"

"Are you in trouble?" Gavin furrowed his brows, no doubt scanning for Nines' heart rate to see if the Detective was going to lie with his response. Nines, being the smart prick that he was, was conditioned many years prior to be able to lie flawlessly without a lie detector picking up on it. Surely tricking an android couldn't be too different.

"Gavin, if I were in trouble, don't you think I would tell you? I think an old colleague is in need of some help. That's all." Omission wasn't quite lying, but in its own way, it was just as bad.  
  
Once those words were uttered, there was a long moment of silence, of Gavin simply looking up into Nines' cold, steely eyes as he mulled over the response with a soft frown gracing his features. Nines gently reached a thumb up to brush along Gavin's LED, a habit the had taken up over the past week. It was an intimate gesture, something that Nines could tell was a big step for the android considering he was still so self conscious over the little ring, but, Gavin seemed to enjoy it each time he felt Nines' touch.  
  
"You can trust me." Nines whispered as the android melted beneath Nines' gentle touches & the detective smiled faintly to himself as he realised just how easy it was to calm Gavin down.  
  
Nines had manipulative tendencies knitted so deeply within his very being, he wasn't so sure he could handle a situation without them. It was selfish on Nines' behalf; using the one thing that Gavin had always lacked as a way to steer clear of a conversation he didn't want to deal with, all because he wanted to keep the android around for as long as he could without having to speak of the blood he was willing to get on his hands.  
  
"Yeah, I've heard that one before." Was all that Gavin responded with before he pulled away, planting a kiss to the corner of Nines' mouth as Nines glanced away as guilt crept along his insides at the comment.  
  
There was a danger that lingered around the detective, Gavin could tell. The way inner demons & monsters consumed Nines' mind so easily, turning him into a cold, distant being. It was concerning, even more so when he felt the need to lie.  
  
Gavin had seen the way in which Nines left interrogation rooms. There was no 'Nines' in those cool, grey eyes. There was nothing. He was detached & barely even reacted to Gavin's presence, if he was greeted, it was often with distance or immediate hostility, as if somehow, he was the enemy. Gavin's not so useful information boxes popped up in his vision, explaining compartmentalisation to him, as if he of all people needed a reminder as to what that was.  
  
But, at the same time, Nines could be so tender & gentle when it came to handling Gavin - something that he had never felt before. He was in love with the feeling - the way Nines made his regulator stutter in his chest in the same way the Cobalt once had. Just as Nines was in love with the way being around Gavin helped him to forget about the pain of his past without the need for whiskey. Helping Gavin through his troubles distracted the human from his own.  
  
"Listen, Nines; we're partners. Maybe not at work, but, with this whole existing thing. You can't keep shutting me out then expect us to work well together. Despite everything, you're still you. I have to get to work before I'm late, but, maybe when I'm back, we can talk about whatever is going on in that head of yours. It's just a few steps, Nines, opening up can be good. Besides, whether you like it or not, I care." Gavin spoke with a sincerity that had a warmth flooding through Nines' chest followed by a wave of guilt.  
  
That may have been the first time either had acknowledged that they were _something._ It sat heavy in the air between them with the realisation that Gavin was right. He always was. If they wanted to work, something's gotta give.  
  
The detective nodded, a small, lopsided smile gracing his features properly at the way Gavin was getting so sure of himself when it came to standing his ground. Nines gently pressed his lips to Gavin's right temple, admiring the way in which the LED momentarily flickered to yellow before returning to it's default red before he disappeared out the door, leaving Nines standing idly in his kitchen.  
  
Nines had never bothered to have a favourite colour, but if someone were to ask, he'd say yellow in a heartbeat.

As the Friday passed the detective by, it mostly consisted of him caving into the twitch he had in his fingers & before he knew it, he found himself sitting at Jimmy's bar in the middle of the afternoon, drinking away the anxieties that were swimming around his stomach. Without Gavin there to distract him from his bad habits, it was all too easy for Nines to attempt to drown his nerves in a strong Bourbon in the almost empty bar.  
  
_'-You created machines in your own image to serve you. You made them intelligent & obedient, with no free will of their own... But, something changed-'_  
  
The sudden talking from the bar's TV had the Detective jerking his head up from where he was analysing the video footage for what felt like the hundredth time, unable to pinpoint why the position it was filmed from looked so familiar while in his tipsy state, eyes widening in surprise at the skinless android that was broadcasting to the television.  
  
_'-We demand that all crimes against androids be punished in the same way as crimes against humans-'_  
  
The amount of deviant cases that had been piling up around the precinct lately had been at an all time high. Everybody knew it was due to the Cobalt, creating some form of shift in technology. More & more androids were deviating & it was making the residents of Detroit nervous.  
  
_'-Together, we can live in peace & build a better future. For humans & androids. This message is a hope of a people. You gave us life. Now the time has come for you to give us freedom.'_  
  
As the television cut back to static, Nines threw a glance to the bartender who was looking just as stunned as Nines was feeling before casting his gaze down to his phone as his buzzed in his hand.  
  
As his anxieties heightened again, they immediately fizzled into nothing as 'Robocop' popped up on his screen to indicate an incoming call.  
  
Nines picked up immediately but before he even had the chance to speak, Gavin's voice came from the other end of the line, filled with an emotion that Nines hadn't heard the android have before.  
  
_"Nines! Did you just see that? Th-that android! It just broadcast to every television in Detroit! Do you know what this means?"_  
  
"Uh-" Nines paused for a moment as to collect his thoughts that were being infuriatingly slow due to the alcohol working its way through his system. "-It means lots of paperwork?"  
  
_"No, Asshole!"_ There was a soft chuckle laced in with the insult that Gavin threw at him before he whispered in a tone that was barely audible, _"-it means we could be free, Nines. I won't have to pretend to not be me anymore."_  
  
With how hushed Gavin had spoken that last line, Nines knew for a fact that the android was still at the precinct, but despite his voice being barely above a whisper in comparison to Gavin's initial excitement, Nines could hear the emotion in his words loud & clear.  
  
Gavin had hope.  
  
Nines' phone buzzed in his hand as he held it to his ear to indicate more messages were being sent his way, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he fiddled with his half empty glass with his free hand, murmuring softly, "just, be careful at work, alright? People are getting real anxious over androids now-"  
  
_"I'll be fine, Nines. I'll see you tonight."_ The smile was evident in Gavin's voice & there was no doubt in Nines' mind that the android's LED was likely a light show of yellow & red at the current events; he was just sad he wasn't there to see it.  
  
"Yeah, see you tonight, darling." As the phone line cut out, Nines was grateful that Gavin didn't pick up on his mildly slurred sentences, or if he did, he chose not to mention it. Maybe he just didn't want to start an argument through the phone.  
  
Nines glanced down to his phone screen to see what texts had come through, gritting his teeth in the process. Right as Gavin had gained some hope, Nines had lost his.  
  
[Unknown contact Nov 08 01:53 P.M]  
  
_'You can't keep avoiding me, Nines. Don't make me send that video to your Captain, I know you're not with your android right now. Now, what happens when an android kills a human? ~A'_  
  
Nines wanted to keep Gavin at his side until he figured out what the fuck was going on but it would be more suspicious if he were to be overly protective. Besides, he knew that Connor was right there at the precinct & Connor had already proved that he wouldn't let anything happen to Gavin knowing just how much the android means to Nines.

It wasn't like Gavin couldn't look after himself either. Not to mention he was safe thanks to having Tina right at his si- Fuck!  
  
Nines' thoughts trailed off completely as he flicked back onto the video he had been analysing earlier, turning his phone screen brightness up as much as it would allow so he could properly see even the darkest spots of the video, realisation hitting him like a freight train as he saw the faint outline of the center console of his car in the shadowed areas of the shaky recording.  
  
No wonder it was so familiar without him being able to figure out why; the video was recorded from within his own fucking car. Fuck. _Fuck._  
  
Without allowing himself to rethink his actions, Nines dialed the unknown contact, swallowing thickly as the other end picked up after the second ring. He didn't give them the chance for pleasantries before jumping right into his instant hostility.  
  
_"Tina?!_ What the fuck did Gavin do for you to record that shit?! You saved his life! Why the hell would you throw him under the bus like that?!" Nines spat down the phone as he ran a hand through his hair, glaring at the overly curious bartender before heading out of the bar to lean against the wall near the mouth of a nearby alley as to get some privacy.  
  
A calm, female voice that Nines was all too familiar with responded, with no regard for Nines immediate anger.  
  
_"On the contrary, Nines. Officer Chen is merely a means to an end. A pawn, if you will. People will do anything when you threaten their family, but you already knew that, didn't you?"_  
  
"A-Amanda? What the hell do you want?! I got out. I don't do your fucking dirty work anymore. Not since Sixty." Nines fished his cigarettes from his pocket, lighting one to keep his hand that wasn't holding his phone occupied. "If you touch Gavin, I swear I'll-"  
  
_"You'll do what, Detective? You may have got out but I never allowed that clearance now, did I? You owe me a favour for leaving me in the dust in such a manner. A war is coming. I need my best men."_ His superior spoke in the tone that he had never missed. She always sounded as if speaking with him was some form of effort, as if she were bored, training an unruly dog.  
  
Before Nines had the chance to argue back, Amanda's irritated tone continued on.  
  
_"It seems as though you have made quite a life for yourself here, Nines. You can continue living in denial of your past, happily in your web of lies with your android & that video will never see the light of day. Lying on reports, covering up a murder, lying to your Captain's face, falsifying evidence; that video gets out & you lose your freedom & your robot gets shut down. Or, you do as I say when I say. It's really quite simple."_  
  
"If it's so fucking simple, why don't you get some other asshole to do your work. Better yet, why don't you do it for yourself? Oh right, Boss Lady wouldn't want to ruin her manicure." Nines sneered, taking a long drag of his cigarette & holding the smoke in his lungs for as long as his body allowed before slowly breathing out. At least the burn in his chest gave him something to focus on.  
  
Amanda was nothing if not one the worst blackmailing, conniving, manipulative humans to walk the earth. Nines was always known to be one of the scariest interrogators with little to no remorse for criminals. But, he had to learn it all from someone.  
  
_"Watch your mouth if you wish to keep your tongue, boy, I do not have time for your childish impertinence. Nobody has a deadshot quite like yours which is why I need you specifically. I wouldn't make this harder than it needs to be, if I were you. I'll text you a time & place when I need you. You'll know exactly what to do. One last job & we can consider it even for the turmoil you put me through."_  
  
"That I put you through?! Threatening someone's loved ones, killing others, all for one person to fall into line? You are one twisted, power hungry bitch, you know that, correct?"  
  
_"Correct. Don't test my patience, unless you want your pet robot to suffer."_ There was a beat of a silence, as if she was contemplating on what to say next to antagonise the detective further before her indifferent voice piped up once more. _"Oh, & Nines? You should quit such a filthy habit."_  
  
Without another word or the chance for Nines to compute, the line cut to nothing as it dawned on the Detective that he was being watched. For how long, he wasn't so sure. A few things he was sure of though, was if he was being watched, then so was Gavin. Tina was comprised, likely not by her own choice & merely out of fear. That also meant the Queen Bitch herself had Connor in her sights too, no doubt about it.  
  
Nines was royally fucked. Unless he did what he was always trained to do: follow orders.  
  
Nines shoved his phone angrily into his pocket before looking down to the cigarette between his fingers, muttering out a 'fuck you too' to nobody in particular before finishing the rest of his cigarette through shaky breaths, stubbing it out on the wall he was leaning against.

_**November 11th 2038**_  
  
The storm that was brewing was swarming through Detroit, chaos around every corner.  
  
Everybody was on edge. Tensions were running high. The precinct was bustling with worried citizens & volatile humans who were all afraid that even their toaster was going to gain sentience & attack them.  
  
The bullpen was full of people who demanded answers & there were not enough officers with the knowledge to provide said answers. There was a civil war on the horizon & ever since Nines' phone call with Amanda, his gut feeling told him it was only going to end in blood. He knew about war all too well.  
  
Despite the best efforts of the narcotics unit, they had only managed to lower the numbers of humans dealing Red Ice. The Cobalt numbers however, had risen drastically.  
Ever since the broadcast from the Stratford Tower, those numbers had tripled. People found themselves flocking to the police in their masses, begging anybody in a uniform for protection from their maids, gardeners, cleaners & friends who no longer wanted to obey their programming.  
  
Cobalt was the outbreak & deviancy was like a virus.  
  
Half of the android population had flicked on the emotion switch & although nobody wanted to say it aloud, the residents of Detroit were collectively preparing for a very interesting war. A war that somehow, yet again, Nines found himself right in the center of.  
  
Fowler had Connor & Lieutenant Anderson on all cases regarding deviants & had demanded all hands on deck in attempting to calm the human citizens, all the while trying to close in on whoever the androids were that had created the broadcast in the first place.  
  
The worst of it, in Nines' opinion, was that even the officers around the precinct were growing anxious of the police androids. So much so, that there was a demand for them to be recalled until everything had blown over & things could go back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as they could be.  
  
[Amanda Nov 11 05:00 P.M]  
  
_'Should you need a reminder as to who is in control.'_  
  
Nines glared down at his phone from where he was sitting on the edge of his bed, clicking on folder of images that was attached to the text message. As the file opened, he could have sworn he felt his stomach drop through the floor.  
  
The first image was of Connor at his desk, the stress of the weight being put on his shoulders evident on his face. The second photo was very slightly blurred but it was easy for Nines to make out what was going on. It was himself & Gavin, taken a few hours prior where Nines was clutching Gavin's hand as they made their way to the back exit of the precinct to avoid the people who wanted police androids to be recalled.  
  
The third photo had Nines' fight or flight instinct sparking through his veins even more so. It was again, from a distance, but it was of Gavin standing in Nines' kitchen, red LED vibrant even in the poorly lit image.  
  
Swallowing back the urge to shout insults into his phone, Nines smacked the block button on the contact with more force than necessary, shoving his phone into his pocket before darting into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Gavin, swiftly shifting their positions so Nines' back was to the window, shielding Gavin's smaller frame while unable to hide the fear upon his features.  
  
"Nines? What- Are you okay? What's going o-" Before Gavin had the chance to finish his sentence, his words were swallowed up by a heart wrenching yelp of pain as his hands flew up to clutch at his hair, eyes widening in a confused panic as he stared at Nines, his fabricated breathing quickening exponentially.  
  
The android whimpered as his hands curled tighter in his hair as he stumbled against Nines' chest. The detective wrapped his arms around Gavin's frame, his voice panicked as he spoke, "G-Gavin? Hey, hey, what's going on?"  
  
"Make it stop, Nines! P-Please!" Gavin's voice was laced in a subtle static, error box after error box popping up in his vision. The android attempted to blink them back, but each time he pushed one down, another popped up in its place as the searing pain coursed through his wiring.  
  
The android dropped onto his knees with a heavy thud considering he had such a light frame, hands tugging at his hair as if that were to somehow help the pain in his head dissipate.  
  
"N-Nines, please!" The android's cries were muffled due to how his head was ducked but the sheer panicked hysteria was clear even through the static. Nines dropped to his knees in front of the android, pulling him close to his chest while trying desperately to pry Gavin's fingers from his hair so he wouldn't hurt himself.  
  
"Who i-is Amanda? She's angry! The error boxes, th-there's so many. Nines, it hurts-"  
  
"I know, baby, I know. I'll make her stop, I promise. I'm so sorry." Nines blinked back the tears that were prickling at the corners of his eyes from hearing the way Gavin's voice was begging him to make the pain go away. He had tried so desperately to keep Gavin safe, to pull him away from all that was cruel in the world, but, as it seemed, he was only making it worse.  
  
Nines had always sworn by it - that he would never be anything like Whitman but all he had done was cause the android pain.  
  
Shifting so he was sitting on the floor properly, pulling a shaking Gavin onto his lap, Nines rubbed at the android's back with one hand, fishing his phone from his pocket with the other.  
  
As soon as he was holding his phone, an unknown contact flashed on the screen with an incoming call.  
  
Of fucking course.  
  
Answering without missing a beat, Nines immediately started his pleas, knowing full & well that blocking Amanda's original number & Gavin being in agony were of no coincidence.  
  
"What the fuck are you doing to him Amanda?! You've got my attention, please stop!" The desperation was evident in his voice even as the darkness in which Nines tried so hard to push down slowly began to creep its way back up, consuming his mind & conscience.  
  
Gavin's whimpers came to a halt as he visibly relaxed against Nines' chest, his shaking hands finding their way into fiddling with Nines' shirt as he attempted to level out his breathing.  
  
_"You are currently protecting a robot from my bullet all the while begging for me to stop rooting around in that mind of his. Tell me, Detective, what was the first lesson I ever taught you?"_  
  
Nines' voice lost any ounce of emotion it once had as his words came out in a monotone manner, "no personal relationships. They compromise one's ability to think clearly."  
  
Despite Gavin's visibly shaken state, he was peering up from where he was curled into Nines' warm frame, his brows knitted tightly together, it being clear that he was trying to listen in on the conversation to the best of his ability despite his senses being scrambled.  
  
_"Such a shame that you had to, shall we say, deviate, for lack of a better word. I already warned you once that I was in no mood for your childish whims. Just as I predicted, you poorly attempted to run from your past once again. But, I'm always one step ahead, or have you forgotten?"_  
  
With an infuriated sigh, Nines stayed quiet, not trusting himself to not say something stupid & get Gavin more hurt. Instead, he held his phone awkwardly to his ear with his shoulder as he scooped Gavin up in a bridal style, carrying the android into the living room where they could sit on the couch outside of window shot.  
  
_"Robots are merely computers, Nines. Its core is made up of code, no matter how complex, I can hack into it. All it takes is a few taps on a keyboard & I'll be having your GV200 feel as though he is suffering from a brain aneurysm over & over again. It's rather unpleasant to say the least. I have given you more than enough leniency. Quit wasting my time. Do as I say & the robot stays unharmed."_  
  
Nines sighed in defeat before kissing Gavin's temple, mouthing 'wait here' to him before disappearing off into the bedroom as he listened to what Amanda had to say. If Gavin wasn't involved, there was no doubt in Nines' mind that he'd put up a hell of a fight against his superior, even if it killed him. But he had already hurt too many people. She had her sights trained on too many people that Nines had grown to care so dearly for & he wasn't about to let anybody he loved get hurt because he was too stubborn to follow one simple order.  
  
"You always like to shoot down hope, don't you?" Nines muttered angrily into the phone as he pulled on his leather jacket over the top of the black button down he was wearing, alternating between which shoulder was holding his phone in the process.  
  
_"Not me, Richard. You are the one to pull the trigger."_ The cruel smile that was evident in her voice as she used his birth name was enough to have bile creeping up his esophagus. She spoke like a disappointed mother, reminding him of all the mistakes he had ever made, never the achievements. That's just the type of person she was.  
  
Being sure he was out of view of the window, the detective changed out of his work pants & into a pair of black, military pants that would have him almost invisible against the shadows if stealth became necessary, listening to what his superior had to say, too nervous to hang up the phone with the image of Gavin's panicked, confused face replaying in his mind.  
  
_"This is simply your place in the world, it would be wise of you to remember that. I'm disappointed that you insist on me using threats to get what I want. I thought you were better than this. You do want the android to live, don't you? The quicker this blows over, the quicker you can get back to playing house with the robot. No incriminating footage. No blackmail. This could turn into a war, Nines. We need to put a stop to this situation while we still have the upper hand. The choice is yours."_  
  
"Like you're giving me a God damn choice!" The hostility was present, even through his defeated state as Nines shifted around his bedroom, pausing at his nightstand to pick up the small, crumpled bullet that Gavin had given to him, twisting the cold metal between his fingers for a moment before slipping it into his jacket pocket with a sad smile. It was a reminder. Nobody was going to take Gavin away.  
  
No matter what.  
  
With phone still to his ear, listening to the demands that were being thrown his way, the detective grabbed a thin, black suitcase from beneath his bed, placing it on the bed as he opened it up, a quiet sigh escaping his lips as he trailed his fingers along the metal of the dismantled sniper rifle, fingertips catching on the small tally chart that's etched into the side.  
  
_"Did you miss the cold metal, Nines? Did you miss having control?"_  
  
"I don't need contr-"  
  
_"Ah-ah, why so defiant, hm? Like a rabid dog on a leash, biting at anybody who passes by. How pathetic. I suppose some traits can never truly be conditioned out of a person, no matter how much you break them, such a shame. Now, be a good little solider & do as you're told before the robot relives the agony he just went through."_  
  
As soon as the line turned to static, Nines made his way out of the bedroom, placing the suitcase against the front door before drawing in a deep breath, throwing his phone across the room in a sudden fit of rage as he shouted, "fuck!"  
  
"N-Nines?" Gavin's voice was soft in comparison, still laced in static which caused Nines' heart to sink as the android picked up Nines' phone that had miraculously survived the outburst of anger, making his way over to where Nines was standing at the door, slipping the phone into the detective's pocket.  
  
Standing on his tiptoes, the android gently cupped his human's face, his LED still blinking rather rapidly, just as erratic as the error messages that were clouding Gavin's vision. Still, he kept his eyes focused on Nines' as he spoke as gently as he could. "Nines? Please, for once in your life, talk to me. You promised you weren't in trouble. Stop shutting me out."  
  
His static laced voice was desperate, his words a plea.  
  
"Don't you think I want to? Fuck, do I want to, Gavin, I really do. I just don't want you getting hurt anymore because of me." Sighing through his words, Nines closed his eyes for a moment to appreciate the warmth of Gavin's touch, ruminating over the past week & all of the perfect moments of solace they got to have together.  
  
"Nines, I can see you're only doing this because she got in my head. I'm not stupid. You're not a bad perso-"  
  
"Would you stop doing that?!" Fluttering his eyes back open, Nines cut off Gavin's sentence with a tone far more sharp than the soft voice in which Gavin had been regarding him with, it causing the android to visibly flinch & Nines heard Gizmo hiss at his feet as he raised his voice at the android; the kitten's fur bristling as he circled Gavin's feet as if to protect the android he had adopted as his parent.  
  
"I don't underst-"  
  
"No, you don't. Why? Because you see the good in everybody, Gavin! You let the bad shit slide because you're so desperate to see the good in people! Quite frankly, it's just sad. Why are you so attracted to bad people?!" As soon as the words left Nines' mouth, he realised once more that he had fucked up.  
  
A part of him, deep down, knew that he was simply burning more bridges; a bad habit that he couldn't quite shake but he also knew that having Gavin angry at him would make it easier for him to walk away.  
  
"Gav-"  
  
"You know what? Fuck you, Nines! You can be a real prick sometimes, you know that? You called me a tin can with issues but I think you're the fucking meatbag with something wrong in your head. At least my coding can be fixed. Yours can't!" Gavin prodded at the center of Nines' chest, his eyes swimming with a type of pain that Nines hadn't yet seen on the android. It had those familiar tears attempting to prickle at his eyes once more.  
  
Despite the bitterness of his words, Nines was still enthusiastic about seeing Gavin's growing confidence at being able to stick up for himself.  
  
"Ouch." Was all that Nines breathed out before chuckling ever so slightly beneath his breath. Gavin sure did have a way with his words. _He would make a rather scary interrogator,_ Nines fondly thought to himself.  
  
"You're an asshole." Gavin mumbled as he stepped up closer to the detective, running his thumb gently along the split in Nines' lip that had a tendency to tug back open with each time Nines smiled at Gavin, causing the wound to never properly heal.  
  
The android had cracked a joke in their week together that Nines' bullet wound would heal quicker than the split in his lip if he kept up smiling over being his usual brooding self. Just that remark had the lopsided smile returning to his features.  
  
"I know, but you do bring out the best in me." Nines murmured softly against Gavin's thumb that was still running along his lower lip. It was a piss poor attempt at an apology but if Gavin's LED flashing yellow before hastily returning to red was anything to go by: he was forgiven.  
  
"If that's your best then you're doing a bad job." The smile was evident in Gavin's voice as he leaned up a little more so he could gently pressing his lips to Nines' before pulling back with a sheepish smile & a look of adoration in his eyes.  
  
If only he knew what Nines was about to do.  
  
The detective reached up to pull his military dog tags that he still wore each day from around his neck, studying the two sets of tags that sat on them for a moment, one belonging to him, the other belonging to Sixty, before placing the chain around Gavin's neck, the tags sitting neatly in the center of his chest.  
  
"Just-" Nines drew in yet another deep breath, something he found himself doing a lot as he made a pathetic attempt to wrangle in his words with a voice that didn't shake so he could at least form one coherent sentence to the man he had grown to adore so dearly before he destroyed the trust & companionship they had fought through hell & back to create.  
  
"Just- Whatever happens, Gavin, I hope you can forgive me." Nines placed one last kiss to the nervously spinning, red LED before picking up the black case & heading out of the front door, it taking everything in his power to not glance back.  
  
Because he knew. He knew if he saw Gavin standing there so helplessly in the doorway of the place that was finally beginning to feel like home, watching him walk away from everything they had built together; he wouldn't be able to take another step.  
  
So, instead, the detective continued walking, pulling his phone from his pocket as it buzzed with a message from the unblocked number.  
  
[Unknown contact Nov 11 09:49 P.M]  
  
_'Hart Plaza. There is a rooftop with a clear view. You know what to do.'_

_  
_

Gavin wasn't entirely sure how long he had been standing in the doorway, staring at an empty corridor through the error boxes that were still plaguing his vision. With one hand still gripping the dog tags that Nines had sat neatly around the android's neck, he blinked the error boxes away as he attempted once more to reconstruct the memory of what had just happened but to no avail.  
  
The android tried desperately to construct a wire frame version of the man he had grown so attached to, to replay the moment Nines kissed his LED before walking away from all they had began to build up together. But with his wiring still on the fritz from the sudden onslaught of pain Amanda had running through his coding, he couldn't do much of anything besides stand idly in the doorway, pushing down the error boxes that told him that he'd need a system reboot before his mind palace would be able to function to its full capacity.  
  
With a frustrated, unnecessary sigh, GV200 slammed the front door shut with more force than needed before storming into Nines' bathroom, muttering nonsensically to himself as he rummaged though the medicine cabinet, knocking all sorts of bottles & band-aids over in the process - them falling into the sink below - until he found a pair of sharp scissors that he had been using in the week prior to cut the gauze pads to size to cater to Nines' wounds. Having spent his free time outside of work nursing Nines back to health, the android had become relatively familiar with Nines' medicine cabinet.  
  
"Fucking asshole!" Gavin shouted at nobody in particular as he opened the scissors, gripping one side tightly as he looked into the bathroom mirror, drawing in a synthetic breath before digging the blade from the side he wasn't holding into his skin on the right side of his head with a soft whimper of pain as he attempted to pry his red, blinking LED from his head.

Being an android had only caused him pain & suffering. He fucking despised who he was in that very moment.  
  
The android was merely seconds away from cutting his LED out when he was interrupted by Gizmo jumping up onto the edge of the sink, rubbing his head against Gavin's arm as he mewled softly at the android, as if somehow sensing his distress.  
  
Pausing his actions, Gavin glanced down at his kitten, mumbling a crackled 'go away' before looking back up at himself in the mirror, studying the thirium that was dripping along the side of his head from where he had dug the scissors into his framework.  
  
Gizmo, however, stubbornly jumped himself onto Gavin's shoulders, rubbing his face affectionately against Gavin's, effectively blocking Gavin's path to pry his LED out. "Fuck you too, lil guy." He let out a weak, sad laugh as he dropped the scissors into the sink, his eyes falling upon the small box of pastel pink band-aids that had fallen into the sink.

A fond memory of him asking Nines to purchase more plasters to help cover the wounds that Nines had sustained on his face popped into his head. The stubborn detective came back with pink plasters, claiming there were no others. Gavin, however, knew full & well that Nines had only chosen the pink ones because he knew it would make Gavin giggle seeing a tough guy interrogator with a pink band-aid stuck to his cheekbone.  
  
It wasn't as if cutting his LED out would have even mattered, not with a bright blue scar across his nose that all but screamed 'I'm a robot'. So instead, with shaky hands, Gavin opened the band-aid box, placing one neatly across the scar on his nose to hide it, scrunching his face up at the foreign feeling before placing two band-aids in an 'X' shape to cover up his LED. In dim lighting, the faint red glow could still be seen from beneath the plasters but if he put his hood up, nobody would be any wiser.  
  
With the plasters secured & the thirium wiped away, Gavin made his way into the bedroom, placing Gizmo on the bed before swiftly changing into a pair of black jeans he had borrowed from Nines, along with a long sleeved off-black shirt before pulling his burgundy leather jacket that Nines had given to him over the top, pulling the hood up then tugging on his boots.  
  
"You'll be fine, lil buddy. I won't abandon you like he did with me. I'll be back before you know it." Gavin leaned down to plant a little kiss to Gizmo's head, scratching behind the kitten's ears before making his way out of Nines' apartment, locking the door behind him.

Quietly making his way through the door that led to the rooftop that he had tracked Nines onto, Gavin took a few steps as silently as he could despite his boots crunching in the snow before freezing in place as he studied where his human was set up with a sniper rifle, peering down the sights as he tried to get the perfect shot on the deviant leader that was leading a revolution that could quite literally be the change that Gavin had always been hoping for.  
  
If Nines had noticed Gavin's presence, he didn't react, nor did he look up from where he was situated. It was only when Gavin pulled the pistol out that he had tucked beneath his jacket that he had stolen from Nines bedside drawer, training it on the human as he spoke up did Nines' stress levels falter.  
  
"I can't let you do that, _Detective._ " Gavin spoke as clearly as he could, holding himself with his new found confidence that Nines had helped him build up. Oh how ironic it was that he was finally standing up for himself & what he believed in but it was against the very man who had taught him how to do that in the first place.  
  
There was a long moment of silence, of Nines simply kneeling there before he ever so slightly tilted his head, not quite glancing at Gavin but not quite looking away either. "You're not going to shoot me, _Officer_."  
  
'Prick' Gavin sneered beneath his breath at the way Nines mimicked the way in which he spoke as he took a single step forward, adjusting his grip on the gun he was holding as he scanned over the detective, picking up on his stress levels beneath the freezing temperatures. Although Nines' core body temperature was dropping lower than it should be & his stress levels were gradually rising with each passing moment, he was doing a good job of hiding it.  
  
In all of the time Gavin had got to spend with Nines, not once had he ever seen the man's stress or anxiety levels rise. Not unless he had just abruptly woken up. But when it came to criminals, interrogations, violence, even Whitman, Nines never seemed to be affected. That was until now. Gavin couldn't help but think it was his doing.  
  
"I'm surprised you found me." Nines stated simply, still refusing to look at Gavin's face, as if looking at him would somehow derail all of the preparations he had made for this very moment.  
  
"I tracked your phone, Dipshit! I already told you, I'm smarter than they think I am." Gavin spat, irritation bubbling in his stomach at being overlooked by the one person he thought would never underestimate him. He knew from the moment he had slipped Nines' phone back into his pocket that he was going to use it to track the detective so he could find out exactly what it was that he was up to. He knew as soon as Nines claimed he wasn't in trouble that something was wrong.

Gavin's aggravation stemmed from the anxieties that were sparking through his wiring, his own stress levels popping up in little warning boxes around his vision. He had spent so long being cast aside, refusing to stand up for himself out of fear of what would happen to him. But, he wasn't afraid of standing up for himself, not anymore. Thanks to Nines. He was just afraid of Nines giving him no other alternative than to pull the trigger.  
  
In an austere tone, Nines simply muttered, "go home, Gavin" before returning his focus to the shot he was trying to line up. His tone lacked the softness it had before he had left & once more Gavin was met with the distant, aloof version of the troubled man. The version that didn't seem to care for anybody around him. Not even himself.  
  
"My home is with you, you fucking asshole!" Gavin shouted over the whistling winds, cringing at the way static intertwined with his words, making them sound a little more pathetic than he would have liked. "Nines, please. I can't let you take that shot. You'll destroy everything. I thought you of all people would want me, for us, to be free! You're just going to take away my freedom. Just like _he_ did?"  
  
It was a low blow, a cruel one at that, but Gavin was running out of options. He wasn't built to negotiate. He was built with the sole purpose of taking down criminal assholes who wanted to ruin other peoples lives. Granted, Nines wasn't a Red Ice dealer, but he was still trying to ruin thousands of lives with one, tiny action.  
  
His suggested dialogue & action options that were popping up in his vision where of no use. He couldn't construct a possible outcome or scan for an accurate reading of a probability of success based off his his various options. All he could do was read Nines' basic vitals.  
  
In that moment, he had never felt more human.  
  
He knew he was running out of time, if Nines didn't react to being compared to Whitman then there was one last dialogue option Gavin had up his sleeve. If that didn't work then he would have no other choice.  
  
Right as Nines drew in a steady breath to have a steady aim, Gavin synthetically swallowed before blurting out, "I'm not Sixty!"

Nines froze.  
  
Well, that did it.

The detective held his breath for a moment longer before he slowly sighed as he muttered with an anger that would usually have Gavin quaking in his boots, but, not this time. "What the fuck did you just say to me?"  
  
"You heard me, Nines." Shifting one hand to jingle the dog tags that were around his neck before returning his grip to the pistol he was holding, Gavin repeated himself. "I'm not Sixty."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed t-" Nines didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as the android so desperate to prove Nines could be better than his past cut him off, his voice shaking now.  
  
"I'm not afraid to take the shot." As his sentence sat heavy in the freezing air between the two, Gavin flicked the safety off the gun, a pleading look evident in his glassy, green eyes as he murmured, barely above a whisper now, "please, Nines, don't make me take the shot."

Gavin wasn't stupid. All human's ever did was overlook his capabilities & his smarts. He had seen the small 'LX' Nines had tattooed on his inner bicep. He hadn't asked about it, knowing Nines would shut him out. So, he did his own research with the help of the kinder, more open Allen brother & knew exactly who the other dog tag belonged to.  
  
There was a thick tension wrapping itself around both men as Nines, for the first time since Gavin showed up on the rooftop, tilted his head enough to actually look at the android properly, a very faint, sad, lopsided smile tugging at the left side of his mouth as he studied Gavin's confidence stance & the plasters he had on his face that covered Nines' favourite parts of him. The parts of him that made Gavin, well, Gavin.  
  
Gavin was silent as he wrapped his finger around the trigger of the pistol, tears beginning to slip down his cheeks & Nines couldn't help but compare this moment to the time he thought Gavin had been pointing his gun at him when he had in fact been aiming it at Whitman. As parallel as the moment was, the difference was that there was nobody behind Nines. No, this time _he_ was the villain.  
  
After taking a long moment to study Gavin's features, unable to push aside the feeling of pride he had at the sheer unflappable nature radiating from the usually nervous android, he then studied the pistol that Gavin was holding, tilting his head, as if calculating something before simply turning back to his sniper taking aim once more as he murmured out a soft, "I'm sorry."  
  
That was the first, genuine apology that he had ever said to the android but, just like always, Nines only apologised if it meant he could pull a situation back into his favour.  
  
Drawing in a deep breath right as GV200 did the exact same thing, there was a moment of utter silence before a gunshot echoed through the air of Detroit's freezing winter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DeviantAlicee.exe_signing.off

**Author's Note:**

> Find me in my virtual cave @DeviantAlicee in the tumblr. We can chatter💘


End file.
